You'll Change Your Mind
by Howdylynn
Summary: Brennan's got baby on the brain. No cases, just fluff. But really cute family fluff! NOW COMPLETE :
1. Chapter 1

The lights flickered as the subway car roared through the New York underground. Temperance Brennan was in the second and final week of the book signing tour her publisher had roped her into. While away from D.C., she insisted on consulting with her Jeffersonian colleagues daily via her laptop with the satellite connection. Most people didn't understand he dedication to her work. Her work defined her.

As the train came to a stop and more passengers filled the car, she closed her eyes momentarily, wondering if this was really how she wanted to live her life. Stuck on this book tour, she felt bored and restless. Without the distraction of her work at the lab, these introspective thoughts were becoming more frequent unwelcome visitors. 

But as she opened her eyes a moment later the pervading anxieties were lifted and she was filled with a sense of calm. All the ambient noise faded into the background, and Temperance focused on the two angelic blue eyes that were staring at her. The baby in the woman's lap who was now sat next to her was clearly drawn to Temperance. 

"She sure likes you," the mother said, breaking Tempe from her reverie.

"She does?" she questioned back.

The mother shifted her daughter in her lap and nodded. "Yeah, … she's never this calm on the subway. She must find you interesting or something." She smiled warmly.

Temperance looked thoughtful, as if considering the woman's observation seriously.

Suddenly the woman's cell phone rang. As she fumbled around in her bag to answer it, she jostled her daughter around in her lap, causing her to get fussy and make a pouting face. The conversation was tense, and the baby sensed her mother's discomfort.

"Yes sir….Of course…..I have the file right here….Yes….Actually, I hadn't planned on coming in today….Of course…I understand….Yes, he is a very important client….The file?…Oh yes…Just one moment sir."

By this time, the baby girl was starting to get quite fussy with being juggled around as her mother held a cell phone to her ear while simultaneously searching for a file in her bag. The woman held the phone away from her ear for a moment and looked pleadingly at Temperance and whispered, "Do you mind holding her for a few minutes?"

At first, Tempe stiffened and her eyes widened in shock at the suggestion. She had never held a baby before. But sensing the woman's desperation and encouraged by an innate feeling of female solidarity, she nodded and gently smiled as she took the baby into her arms. To her surprise, it didn't feel awkward or scary to hold the child. It felt completely natural.

In the back of her mind, the anthropological reasoning kicked in, explaining that it's embedded in our DNA to protect the young of our species. Surely that's all there was to it. Yet Temperance knew that there was something more significant behind what she was feeling as she held that baby. All of a sudden, she felt like a child was something she needed----as much as she needed air to breathe

As the little girl rested her head on Tempe's breast, she felt her heart swell inexplicably. In that moment, she was forever changed. 

Soon, the woman's phone conversation ended and she was taking her taking her daughter back as she offered her apologies to Temperance. "Don't worry about it," she responded.

……….

After the book signing at the huge commercial bookstore, Temperance thought about calling her old friend from Northwestern to have dinner and catch up. As she walked toward her hotel, she passed an upscale baby boutique and suddenly found herself entering the store.

She quietly walked around as though she were an objective observer analyzing an unfamiliar culture and its artifacts. She suppressed the urge to explore the psychological reasoning behind her sudden interest in babies. She smiled politely at the pregnant women and new mothers who were shopping, and she silently wondered if their lives were happier than her own. 

Temperance decided that after ten minutes of browsing, she would seem weird or suspicious if she didn't buy anything. So without much thought, she grabbed a tiny pink cardigan sweater and quickly made her way to the checkout.

That night, she lied in her hotel bed embracing the little sweater as she tried to let sleep claim her. With her eyes closed, she tried to imagine what her life would be like if she were a mother. Certainly it would be difficult, but would it be worth it? 

…….

A week later, she had returned to her normal workaholic lifestyle back at the Jeffersonian. Yet, no matter how much she threw herself into her work, the baby thoughts wouldn't go away. She tried to rationalize this development as part of the whole "biological clock" phenomenon. She told herself that these feelings would pass. Mind over body.

On Friday evening, she and Booth were seated at their usual stools at Wong Foo's having dinner and drinks. Temperance took a sip of wine and resumed their conversation, "So, tomorrow we can question the suspects on the list and go over the case files, right?"

He smiled exasperatedly at her and shook his head in the negative. "Tomorrow's Saturday." He emphasized the word Saturday as though it held special meaning.

Drawing her brows together in confusion, she shrugged questioningly. "Yeah Booth,… I'm aware of that. So?"

He sighed. "So,… I've only mentioned about a thousand times this week how Parker's first little league baseball game is this Saturday. Tomorrow Bones."

She immediately felt guilty for not remembering this, realizing that she hadn't been the best listener lately, as her thoughts were elsewhere. Her gaze shifted to her wine glass. "Oh,…okay then."

He looked at her curiously. Was that a look of disappointment he saw cross her features? He cleared his throat to get her look up at him, "Um,…you're welcome to come to the game,….I mean, if you want…"

To his surprise, her eyes lit up at the suggestion. For a moment he saw excitement in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by awkwardness. Quietly she answered, "Yeah,…I'd like to come,…if you're sure you don't mind that is."

"Why would I mind?

"You know,…it's a family thing. I don't want to interfere."

"I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't want you to be there."

They exchanged a smiling look that solidified their status as friends. They enjoyed each other's company. There was a warm simplicity to this moment of mutual realization. Seeley's eyes looked deeply into hers as he recalled the words he had spied in her manuscript not so long ago, words that revealed how she felt about him. He was her "partner and friend." It was time to explore the latter part of that definition. He had been waiting for her to let him in, and it seemed she finally was. Something had changed in her lately, and he knew that his tenacious nature would serve him well as he poked and prodded his way into the inner-workings of Temperance Brennan's heart. 


	2. Chapter 2

Temperance sat on the aluminum bleachers looking out at the park's baseball diamond. She studied the interactions of the boys on the field as they prepared for the start of the game.

"Heads up Bones!" Booth tossed two small bags into her lap as he took his seat beside her.

She turned the bags over in her hands and raised her eyebrows at him.

"What!" he asked, chuckling at the confused look on her face. "Aw, come on Bones….peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Really, there are some things every American should know."

A slow smile formed on her lips, and she leered at him almost flirtatiously. "You takin' me out to the ballgame Booth?"

His surprised laugh was followed by the full effect of his patented 'charm smile'. "I knew you were just trying to bug me!"

They passed the time at the game pleasantly. Tempe found herself quite at ease, relaxed even---despite being out of her element. She noticed all the usual tension absent from Booth's features. He loved this stuff: the all-American purity of kids playing baseball. He deserved more moments like these----to get away from the dark side of humanity. They both needed more time in the sun----time to soak up the good stuff in life.

……………..

After the game ended, Parker came bounding toward his father and reached up to be lifted into his arms. "Daddy! Daddy! We won!"

"Yeah! That's great, Bub! You did an awesome job out there!"

"We get to go to Chuck E. Cheese! Are you gonna come?"

Booth didn't know how to answer his son. He glanced at Bones who had an amused look on her face. Then he noticed Rebecca and her boyfriend nearing them.

Parker turned his head to address his mom. "Mommy, can Daddy come to Chuck E. Cheese with me and the team? Please!" he begged.

She focused her eyes on Seeley. "Actually, I was hoping you might take him for the night,…." Rebecca glanced at Brennan who was at his side. "….unless of course you had other plans."

Realizing her insinuation, he responded quickly, "What? Oh, no…that'd be great. Wouldn't it Parker?"

Rebecca nodded, pleased with how she still had Seeley wrapped around her little finger. Even though he'd officially put an end to their sexual slip-ups a month ago, she knew she still had a hold on him.

"Great. His bag's in the car." She turned to walk away in the direction of the parking lot.

Seeley reached out and grabbed her arm to halt her. "Oh, hey,… I just realized you haven't been formally introduced." He gestured to Bones at his side.

"This is Rebecca and her boyfriend Drew." Then he placed a warm hand over Bones' shoulder as he continued the introduction. "And this is my friend Temperance Brennan."

Although her countenance remained as serene as ever, she was beaming on the inside at his choice of words. Not co-worker or partner. Not forensic anthropologist or famous author. She was simply his friend. Yet it didn't really seem all that simple.

…………

Temperance considered herself to be a well-rounded and adventurous person. She had traveled the world and taken part in various excursions and risky endeavors. Yet none of her experience had prepared her for the cultural onslaught of Chuck E. Cheese. The bright colors combined with the raucous noise of the games and excited children assaulted her senses.

"You're doing it again Bones."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Your anthropologist thing. Just stop analyzing for once and try to be a part of the real world."

"Is this the real world?"

……………

Once she got over her initial shocked reaction to the place, Temperance allowed herself to relax and attempt to be normal.

As they shared a pizza at the table, Parker and Booth had Tempe smiling and laughing more than she had in a very long time. He was proud of her----she was letting her walls down. He loved to see her smile like that.

After eating, they played Skee-Ball----Booth having selected the bowling-inspired game, naturally.

Soon Parker became disinterested and went off to play video games with his baseball friends. Booth and Bones continued to play in the adjoining lanes, caught up in the spirit of competition. She was laughing at her victory over a sulking Booth when a woman tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.

"Excuse me? Ma'am? Your son left his tickets in the game here."

Blushing slightly at the innocent misconception, she grabbed the tickets from the machines and mumbled her thanks as she walked away. She returned to the booth that provided a view of the game room full of families and children.

Booth had walked off in the direction of his son, but she knew he was keeping an eye on her. He always did. In the time that they'd worked together, his protective nature had gone from extremely annoying to extremely comforting.

When that woman had mistaken her for Parker's mother, she didn't feel compelled to correct her assumption. It made her realize that any outsider would view them as a family,…would view her as a wife and mother. And if she could act the part so believably tonight, how well could she play the real-life role of mother? She knew there was only one way to find out. She would have to alter her life-plan.

In that moment, she smiled fondly at the memory of a conversation she once had with Booth. He'd told her "You'll change your mind" about having children. And as much as she hated to admit it, he had been right.

She was oblivious to his eyes on her. "What's she thinking about?" he wondered to himself as he watched her. Temperance's eyes floated around the room, catching on a father lowering his toddler into the ball pit, and then settling on a mother at a nearby table nursing her infant. The woman's loving gaze fixed on her child, and she seemed to have the most contented and satisfied expression of any woman she'd ever seen. Temperance's hand subconsciously rose to her own breast as she remembered the way the baby had felt in her arms not so long ago.

Booth watched the changing subtleties in her features with fascination. When the direction of her thoughts became apparent to him, he felt a pang of sympathy in his heart for her. Temperance's life was filled with an empty loneliness. Being surrounded by all these happy families only served to pick at her wounds and make her bleed with the knowledge that these were things she did not have. As he made his way to sit at the table with her, he tried not to let her see the pity in his eyes.

……………

"Something on your mind?"

"No. What do you mean? Is this your subtle attempt at a little poking and prodding, Booth?"

"I don't mean to make you self-conscious Bones, but it was pretty obvious you were doing some heavy-duty thinking."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Not to wax anthropological Bones, but you _are_ a card-carrying member of the human race. And it's only natural to think about doing your part to contribute to the continuation of your species."

"Some ego you've got there. Fancying yourself a bona fide mind-reader, huh?"

"Hey, relax Bones. It's a good thing. Shows you're actually one of us. Sometimes I forget that about you."

"Gee thanks, Booth."

"If it makes you feel any better, we all think about it. Babies represent life, progeny, immortality. You're not the only one."

She paused hesitatingly before letting it out. "I held a baby for the first time a couple of weeks ago…..And ever since, my focus has been altered. I can't seem to concentrate on anything."

He looked down and smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I know what that's like."

She continued, "I've begun to question how fulfilling this life of mine really is. Am I missing out on something really big?"

He nodded thoughtfully and met her gaze. "Being a parent is definitely 'really big'. I may only get a taste of what it's like, but it's enough to make my life and my work infinitely more rewarding and significant. Everything just has more meaning and depth." He shrugged. "It's hard to explain."

"Booth,….would I be a good mother?"

"Bones, I've seen the way you care for the people you love. And a good parent shows that same kind of caring to his or her child. So, facts before conclusions? Well, I've seen you console Angela after Kirk. I saw you reconcile with your brother. And you cancelled your date to stay with me in the hospital when I needed you…."

"I needed you too, Booth."

Her hand found his across the table, and her heart raced at their mutual revelation. His eyes locked on hers, not permitting her to look away. A slow sexy smile formed at the corner of his mouth and he gestured with his head that he wanted to leave.

"Are you ready, Bones?"

Her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths, and her response was hushed,

"Yeah, I think I am."


	3. Chapter 3

As he pulled the SUV into the parking lot outside his building, she eyed her silver car in the nearby spot and wondered if she should make her escape while she still could. This evening had left her feeling exposed, and her self-control was slipping with every look she passed in Booth's direction. She had long harbored a crush on her FBI partner, but had always been able to repress her carnal urges when in his presence. Tonight they had confessed their need for each other, and she knew her world was about to change.

"So, you wanna come in and help me get this guy to bed?" His invitation laced with delicious undertones.

"Sure." With that one word, she jumped into the sea of unknowns, unafraid of what lie ahead----unafraid, because with Booth she knew she was safe.

……………..

As he sat in the bathtub playing with his action figures, Parker yammered about his baseball game and begged his dad to promise to play catch with him the next day. Tempe watched from the doorway as Booth playfully bathed his son and talked to him about his day. After getting dried off and a towel wrapped around him, Parker let his dad comb his hair into a delightful mohawk style as was their silly routine.

Once dressed in his Spiderman pajamas, Parker found Tempe on the couch and asked her to read him his book. She knew it must have been Booth's suggestion, but she smiled anyway at the child's enthusiasm. He led her to his bedroom, pulling her hand most impatiently, until she was seated next to him on his bed. Temperance looked up at the doorway and half-expected to see her partner standing there spying on her. The fact that he wasn't there told her that he trusted her. He was giving her this moment.

After reading several books and answering numerous questions about everything under the sun, Parker finally succumbed to sleep. She kissed his forehead and tousled his now-dry hair, removing all evidence of the mohawk. Temperance clicked off the lamp and carefully slipped out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

She found Booth slumped down into the couch cushions, beer in hand, watching Sportscenter. There was an extra bottle of beer waiting for her on the coffee table. She took it as a sign of his unspoken invitation to join him. As she sat down and took a drink, he clicked off the TV and turned his body to face her.

"Thanks." She offered him a relaxed genuine smile.

"Actually Bones, I think that's my line."

"What a pair…" she sighed.

"Yeah…." he whispered back, staring into her clear blue eyes.

Without breaking his gaze, he took the bottle from her hand and placed it on the table. She let him take control. Her inaction spoke volumes. He brought her body close to his in a welcoming embrace, and she never felt more at home. Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips neared hers, and as they kissed all thoughts flew out her head; her brain ceased to function----something that never happened to her. His skilled lips and tongue moved over her face and neck, waking up all her senses.

Her body hummed with the electricity his touch generated. After long wonderfully-agonizing moments, he paused to look into her eyes again. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do that."

"Probably about as long as I have," she revealed.

Now it was Temperance's turn to take control. She pushed him down onto his back on the couch and settled her body atop his. Her hands ran smoothly over his chest and shoulders as a pleased look appeared on her face.

He grinned cockily at her. "You like?"

"Mmm-hmmm." And she continued to take him in, touching him, tasting him, teasing him.

She continued her ministrations until she felt his passion growing against her. The knowledge of her effect on him both empowered her and scared her. Should she be doing this with his son in the next room? She suddenly pulled her lips from his and rested her chin on his chest. "I think I should go…."

"Don't."

"But Parker….I don't want to…."

"Don't go."

The desire evident in both their eyes, they reached a silent agreement. A moment later, they were in his bedroom. The click of the lock on the door sealing the deal.

……………….

After a night of quiet lovemaking and whispered sentiments, the sun was rising in the sky waking them to the reality of their situation. She knew that if Parker saw her there when he woke up, it would only confuse things. So Temperance dressed slowly and leaned in to kiss a sleeping Seeley good-bye.

As she made her way out of the apartment, she stopped in the hallway to peek in at the little boy whom she had already begun to love. Maybe she _could_ do this. Maybe she _could_ be a mother after all…..


	4. Chapter 4

He had been awake when she left, but had decided not to open his eyes. Seeley didn't want to smother her. She was an adventurous and independent woman, and Temperance needed her space. And besides, he wasn't worried----he knew she was his.

He and Parker went through their usual Sunday routine. They made pancakes for breakfast and ate in front of the TV as they watched cartoons. Then, they got dressed in their best clothes and went to mass. Seeley always felt better when he made it to church on Sundays, which wasn't often. The traditions and routines comforted him and grounded him spiritually.

That afternoon, they walked to the nearby park clutching their baseball gloves.

"What do you think of Bones?"

Parker nonchalantly responded with "She's nice." Then his brows furrowed together as a thought popped into his five-year-old brain, "Are you gonna marry her Daddy?"

Booth laughed in surprise at his son's question. "Why do you think that, Bub?"

"'Cause Mommy's gonna marry Drew. _And_ she's gonna have a baby!"

Booth's mind reeled at the information. Sure, he was surprised that Rebecca was getting married----she didn't seem that serious about Drew. But he was mostly shocked by the fact that she was pregnant. He began to panic at the possibility that the child could be his.

Parker continued to talk about how he hoped it was a baby girl, although his father wasn't listening. One question did register: "Is Bones gonna have a baby too?"

He sighed in frustration. _Bones_…..Damn it! They were just getting started and he may have already screwed things up. "No, buddy, she's not gonna have a baby….."

………….

Rebecca opened the door and Parker quickly ran past her into the house. Booth stood on the steps wearing a serious expression. She knew immediately that her son had told him about her news. "Why don't you come in, Seeley?"

He nodded and followed her into the kitchen. She poured him a cup of coffee and sat next to him at the table. In the past months, they had made an effort to be more amicable---for Parker's sake. And it had worked, until that is, they got a little _too_ friendly and began sleeping with each other again.

Rebecca wouldn't make eye-contact with him. Alarms went off in his head as he noted all the subtle psychological indicators suggesting that she was hiding something from him. She didn't want him to know.

"I gotta ask… Rebecca, is it mine?" His heart was beating in fear.

She slowly brought her eyes to his and answered as honestly as she could, "I don't know."

He was crushed. He let out a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. "Does Drew know?"

"Yes. He knows. And we're getting married."

"You're getting married? Even though you're not sure if…..?" he shrugged.

"He's a wonderful man. He says that he'll love this child no matter what. And I believe him He's great with Parker."

Booth smiled calmly. "Yeah, I know….You're really lucky Rebecca."

"I know."

Booth stood to leave. Some of the tension was gone from his shoulders as he prepared to meet whatever fate threw at him. "So I guess we'll just wait and see, and then go from there, huh?"

"Yeah. Listen, I'm really sorry about this Seeley. I really am."

He hugged her then, and gave her a caring look. "You take care of yourself. And if you need me to take Parker more often, just let me know, alright?"

"Thanks." As she watched him leave, she realized how lucky she truly was.

………….

"Mmmmm,….Bones….." he groaned as she rolled off of him and settled at his side in his bed.

"I could definitely grow accustomed to exploring these investigative techniques. I've learned so much about you already,…and it's only been a week." She smiled wickedly.

He chuckled and pulled her body closer to his as he wrapped his strong arm around her shoulder. A satisfied smirk formed on his face as he thought back over their week together. It had been the most wonderfully exhausting week of his life. After working with each other all day, she had come to his place each night. They had even managed to fit in a couple of "lunch dates." The woman wore him out, but he just couldn't seem to get enough of her.

It was getting harder and harder to keep his secret from her. With each day, his heart grew heavier with guilt. "Temperance, I need to tell you something."

Hearing him use her given name got her attention. She knew that his tone was serious. She shifted her body away from him slightly and regarded him with two intently focused eyes, ready to listen to what he said.

He gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing noticeably in his throat. With a deep breath, he let it out, "Rebecca's pregnant…." He paused. "….and there's a chance that it's mine."

Seeley trained his eyes on her face, trying to gauge the reaction in her unreadable features. She was thinking. After an agonizing minute, she finally spoke. "Booth, I know you need some kind of reaction from me. But I can't just come to a conclusion until I have all the evidence. You know that. So, logic suggests that any reaction should be saved until all doubt is removed."

"What are you telling me, Bones? That you don't feel one way or another about this?" He shot her an incredulous look.

"What I'm saying is that this doesn't have to change anything between us right now. When you have the paternity results, then we'll move from there and see what happens. But there's no reason to dread what we don't know, right?"

Off his unbelieving look she smiles and sighs, "I'm just trying to be rational here Booth. And besides, if I had any doubt about what would happen if this child was yours, all I'd have to do is look at Parker and what a great job you've done with him. Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. I've got nothing to worry about." And she leaned in and kissed him soundly on the lips, reassuring him that she's not going anywhere.

He smiles sheepishly at her and sadly returns, "Thanks Bones."

Booth feels like a jerk for getting himself in this situation all over again with Rebecca. He is a deeply flawed man and he doesn't deserve her understanding, yet she gives it so willingly. How could she still love him after what he'd done?

As if sensing his internal dialogue, she reaches with her hand to cup his stubbly cheek and makes him look her in the eye. "Your actions don't change the person you are. You're still _you_ Booth. And whatever happens, I know that you will do what is right and good-----because that's just who you are."

He gives her a contented smile and sighs with relief. She made him feel better about himself, and he knew that everything would be fine between them. Temperance was turning out to be a pretty great girlfriend, he thought to himself. And he knew that he would do everything in his power to make her happy.

"I love that you're a 'head-person', Bones," he offered playfully.

Her eyes deepened in sincerity, and her hand covered his chest. "And I love that you're a 'heart-person', Booth."


	5. Chapter 5

_8 months later_

Temperance rang the doorbell and waited patiently on the front steps of the two-story suburban house. She looked around at the surrounding homes and thought that it seemed like a nice neighborhood to raise a family,….not quite sure if that would ever fit into her life plan. Although this past year had taught her that nothing was for certain, that anything could happen.

A glowing very-pregnant Rebecca opened the door and gave Tempe a tired and grateful smile, "I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for coming. Really."

"Not a problem. Seeley's plane should be in around midnight. Parker will be fine. Don't worry. You need your rest."

She gestured to the bags on the floor in the entryway. "I packed everything I could think of. Sorry if it seems a bit much. It's just you never know how long these things take…."

"So, the induction is scheduled for tomorrow morning?" Off her nod, "Are you nervous?"

Rebecca chuckled mirthlessly, "You have no idea."

She then shouted in the direction of the stairway, "Parker! Tempe's here!"

When he didn't come down, she shook her head, "Sorry. He gets so wrapped up in those video games, he can't hear anything. Do you mind getting him?" The thought of climbing the stairs was exhausting to the pregnant woman.

Tempe soon came back downstairs followed closely by Parker.

He kissed his mom good-bye and patted her round belly. "Bye baby."

……………

After having a dinner-date at McDonald's, Tempe led Parker out of the play area in the restaurant, "Come on. Let's go buy a present for the baby, huh?"

Parker squealed with delight as she pulled into the Toys 'R' Us parking lot. She beamed with his approval of her. She felt "cool" in his eyes.

After selecting some baby items together, and picking out some wrapping paper, Tempe suggested, "How 'bout we pick out something for you too? After all, you're gonna be a big brother. That's a pretty big deal, don't you think?"

…………

Booth made it home in the early morning hours, exhausted from his flight, and anxious about the impending events of the days to come. Soon he would find out if he was a father for the second time. His stomach clenched with the uncertainty and he was only able to sleep for a few short hours, despite the comfort of his girlfriend's warm body in the bed next to him.

The aroma of coffee drug him out of bed. As he padded through the living room, he saw the fancy new video gaming system hooked up in front of the TV and a tall stack of games on the coffee table. He rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

"Bones, I can't believe you bought him all that stuff."

She poured coffee into his favorite mug and handed him the sugar container. "It's no big deal. Really. I just thought he could use the distraction with all that's gonna be going on, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." He paused to look at her, _really_ look at her. "Are you okay? You know----with everything?"

Living with Booth for six months had honed her senses of perception, and she immediately picked up on his unease. She brought her arms around his waist in an embrace and melded their bodies together in an effort to comfort him. "It's alright. Everything's gonna be alright. There's nothing to worry about."

His body shuddered with fear. He willed himself to calm down and focused on his breathing, but he still felt like crumpling down and giving into his anxiety. The thought of becoming a father once again….of once again being kept from his child. All the pain he had felt over Parker resurfaced in that moment and the tears were glistening in his eyes.

Then, in one swift motion, all the pain was lifted from his heart. "Daddy?" That one word woke him up to the fact that his child was worth it. All his suffering didn't matter. He truly was better for having brought Parker into this world.

He broke from Tempe's embrace and wiped his eyes. With a huge smile on his face, he lifted his son into his arms and kissed him. "Hey, Bub. You ready to challenge me in one of your new games?"

"Yeah! Come on Daddy! Tempe's so cool! Look what she got me!" And he drug his father to the couch excitedly telling about all his new games. Booth turned his gaze toward the kitchen and gave her a heartfelt smile, full of gratitude and promise. She returned the smile and set about preparing breakfast. For the first time, she felt like she truly belonged here, in this home, in this family. Her two guys,….they needed her. And she needed them more than she ever realized possible.

………….

After receiving a call from Drew, they headed to the hospital to see the new baby. Parker had been hoping for a sister, but he was just as happy about his new little brother Dylan. He dangled the stuffed elephant toy above the baby's curious eyes and giggled in delight. Parker was going to be a great big brother.

Booth and Tempe stayed long enough to congratulate Rebecca and to pass the baby around the room. As she held him, Temperance marveled at the softness of his skin, and the fresh new-baby scent was strangely intoxicating to her. "You're a natural," Rebecca told her. Tempe's heartbeat sped up at her observation. She smiled shyly and handed the baby back to his mother.

Before leaving the hospital, Booth had to pay a visit to the lab's testing facilities to give a DNA sample and fill out some forms. Knowing he wouldn't want to talk about it anytime soon, they headed home in silence. Once home, Parker settled into the couch engrossed in his games. Tempe pulled out her laptop and began working on her latest chapter. Booth slipped out the door and headed to the gym to relieve some of his tension and get some space to clear his head.

The next couple of days followed the same pattern. He didn't want to talk about it. She didn't press him. He'd spend time working out, at the firing range, or bent over his latest vintage car project. Temperance saw this as an opportunity for her and Parker to bond. So, she took him to the zoo and the museum.

They played at the park and ran errands together. She never realized how much more enjoyable mundane tasks such as grocery shopping could be with a child in tow. She genuinely liked this kid, and she knew she'd do anything for him. Parker made her feel like a mom. He was her dream come true.

……………..

After the new baby was settled at home, Rebecca was ready to take Parker back and begin to establish their new routines. When they came to drop him off, Drew invited them both in. The four adults sat in the living room anxiously looking at each other.

Rebecca spoke, "The results came in this afternoon." The look on her face was indecipherable.

Tempe's hand sought out Booth's and he clenched it in response.

"He's my son," Drew stated, as if still in shock and awe.

Booth looked down at their joined hands and smiled as if God himself had just blessed him personally. "Congratulations to you both. I'm really happy for you."

……………..

During this whole ordeal, Booth and Temperance had a silent agreement to wait it out before making any decisions regarding their relationship. They had grown close over the past eight months, but had not talked about any long-term plans because everything had been so uncertain. Now, they had finally been able to exhale the "bated breaths" and were ready to move on.

"So can we talk about it now?" She turned to face him in bed.

"I want to. Believe me, I do, Bones. I'd love to have a child with you." Then a look of sadness flickered in his eyes. "I just need some kind of reassurance that I won't put myself in the same kind of situation again."

Confusion and disbelief caused her to raise her voice, "You think I'm like Rebecca! Booth, I would _never_ keep your child from you. I wouldn't dream of doing this alone."

"And I wouldn't let you." He paused, regarding her seriously. "That's why I've gotta play the 'stodgy traditionalist' card on this one, Bones."

"What are you saying?"

"That I'm a traditional guy. And if we're gonna do this----have a kid together----then I think we should make a commitment."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "Like marriage?"

He nodded and smiled, "Yeah. Exactly like that."

A slight laugh escaped her lips and a challenging look formed in her eyes. "Are you _blackmailing_ me, Booth?"

He directed the full effect of his charm smile on her. "Is it working?"

"Well, you know I'm immune to your powers of persuasion. So you're lucky that my mind was made up on the subject a long time ago."

His eyebrows shot up at her revelation. "Really? Is that so? That's valuable information. Very good to know…"

"Well?" She grew impatient at his sudden silence on the subject.

"Well what?" he countered teasingly.

"Can we? …. Are we? … You know…." She was getting really frustrated with his evasiveness.

"Know what?" He leered at her, daring her, challenging her right back.

She gave in. "Seeley Booth, will you marry me and be the father of my children?"

He answered in all sincerity. "Yes, I will."

"Good." A satisfied smile lit up her face.

"Great." He one-upped her.

"Amazing." She returned with a wink.

"Do you _always_ have to get the last word?"

"I like to, yeah." She looked smug.

He laughed at her and smiled knowing he was in for the ride of a lifetime. "I love you, Bones."

"I love you more…." And she brought her lips to his, silencing him and clenching her victory. It felt good to win.


	6. Chapter 6

Temperance Brennan walked the familiar grassy path toward her mother's headstone, nervously fidgeting with the bouquet of lilies in her hand. She wasn't sure she even believed in an afterlife, but Booth had encouraged her to push aside her rational arguments for once and just "do what people do." No matter how many times she came to talk to her mother, it never got any easier. Today was especially difficult.

"Mom, it's me Temperance." She knelt before the stone, carefully resting the flowers below her mother's name as she traced the letters. _Christine Brennan_.

"I'm getting married tomorrow," she sighed heavily and her eyes glistened before continuing, "and I really wish you were here."

"I've been taking care of myself for a long time. Now I have him, and he's going to take care of me…..We're going to take care of each other."

"I just wanted you to know that I'm going to be okay. And I miss you."

Swiping at the fallen tears on her face, she slowly got up and cast a longing gaze at the letters etched in stone. "Bye, mom."

The April breeze chose that moment to rain cherry blossoms over mother and daughter, bits of pink and white dancing around them like a blessing. It felt like love.

…………………….

With a self-assured smile plastered on his face, Seeley Booth sauntered into the lab tossing a poker chip in air and catching it. Angela smiled at the sight of him. She had once described him as having "buckets of sexual confidence," but since staking his claim over the prickly forensic anthropologist, Booth's expression seemed to be even more smug than before.

"Oh hey Angela!" He flashed a cheesy grin in her direction. "Have you seen Mrs. Booth around by any chance?"

Caught off guard by the teasing moniker he'd bestowed on her best friend, she let out a snort of laughter and pointed in the direction of her office.

"Now there's Mrs. Booth…." he teased from his position in the doorway.

Seated at her desk, she smiled in spite of herself at hearing his playful new nickname. Seconds later, she had straightened her smile, but could not erase the mirth in her eyes. She stood in front of her desk, arms crossed across her chest, challenging him.

"Are you going to make me to beg you to call me Bones again? 'Cause I'm getting pretty close to doing just that."

"Meh, … I'm just trying it out. You know, see how it feels on my tongue." He raised his eyebrows suggestively in an attempt to crack her pseudo-serious demeanor.

"So, I should be consoled by the fact that this new nickname is still in an experimental phase?"

"Yeah, and add to it the fact that every time I say 'Mrs. Booth' I feel like I'm referring to my mother." He laughed at himself.

He approached her slowly and wrapped her up in his embrace, closing his eyes as he inhaled her scent. "So, don't you worry my wittle Bonesy-Wonesy,….we've got plenty of time to work on our terms of endearment."

She pulled her head away from his to look at him with raised eyebrows, "_Bonesy-Wonesy_?"

"What? No good?" He made her smile more than she had in her whole life. A week ago, she had promised to be at his side forever,….. and she had never been more sure of any decision in her life. No doubts. No uncertainty.

Laughingly, she leaned in for a kiss. Their lips barely made contact as they were each smiling against the other's mouth. He grabbed the sides of her face in his hands and began peppering audible smooches all over her face and neck, causing her to laugh even more and playfully push at his chest.

Before letting her go, he breathed into her ear, "By the way, I've been thinking of some names you could try out for me-----maybe we could work on that tonight?" She rolled her eyes at him, and gave him a firmer push this time. Faking a wounded and dismayed hand-over-heart act, Booth stepped back from her and nodded in the direction of the door. "Lunch?"

A twinkle in her eye, Temperance brought her body flush against his and shocked him with a passionate kiss, her hands moving slowly over his hard muscled planes.

As she pulled away, he leered at her, "Why Mrs. Booth, are you trying to seduce me?"

The pop-culture reference lost on her, she triumphantly smiled as she held up his car keys in her hand. "Looks like I'm driving!"

"Hey!" He chased after her as she walked at a determined pace out of the lab.

………

Angela watched the scene from her vantage point on the examination platform. In some ways, their wedding hadn't changed a thing. They had acted like an old married couple from Day One.

And although it might seem counterintuitive, she knew that they were at their best when they were bickering. Behind the snide comments and snarkiness was a deeply caring relationship. She was truly happy for her two friends.

She knew they would take care of each other.


	7. Chapter 7

Angela went about her evening routine, shutting down the holographic display and computers, hitting the lights, grabbing her purse and locking the door to her office. As she turned the key in the lock, she glanced in the direction of her friend's office and was surprised to see the light still on. Understandably, Brennan had been wrapped up in a state of newlywed bliss for the past month, and had left each night predictably at 6:00 to get home to her honey.

As she pushed the door open, she smiled with relief to see Tempe asleep at her desk. _All that baby-making practice must be wearing her out_, she mused gleefully.

She moved toward her sleeping friend to rouse her, but stopped to curiously eye what was on the computer screen. It was a website for an agency that specialized in adoptions of children from El Salvador.

The words on the screen popped out at her: "In a case of a felony conviction for physical assault, battery, or a drug-related offense that was committed in the past five years, approval could not be granted." Damn. Brennan had been charged with assault with a deadly weapon. _But she wasn't convicted… _

As Temperance began to wake up, Angela jumped away from the screen and stepped around to the other side of the desk. "Hey, you're awake. I just came to check on you. You're usually out of here by now." She glanced at the clock. 7:15.

"Yeah, I was just um,…doing some research."

"For your book?" She tried to pull an innocent face.

"Not exactly." Tempe looked thoughtful for a second. "Ange, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How do you think Booth would feel about adoption?"

"Gosh sweetie, to be honest, I don't know…..I mean, I guess I just assumed you two would be going about this the old-fashioned way, you know?"

Brennan looked a little embarrassed at the path her thoughts had taken. "Yeah,….I'll admit I'm instinctually inclined toward the 'old-fashioned way' myself."

Then, in a flash, her analytical side reared its head, "But the notion that giving birth makes you feel 'whole' is really nothing more than a release of serotonin in the brain necessary for the survival of the species."

Off Angela's incredulous look, Brennan cinched her eyebrows together, "What?"

"Nothing. It just sounds very logical, that's all." She then leaned in closer toward her friend and continued, "And it also seems like you're trying to convince _yourself_ that that's true, not _me_."

Sighing in defeat and nodding at her friend's accurate assessment, Brennan reflected, "It's just that I've seen so many children all over the world who need someone to love them. And all those times before, I was never in a position to consider being that 'someone' for a child."

Her gaze shifted to the sparkling ring on her finger, "Now that I'm not alone, I feel like I'm in a position to do what I couldn't before. You know?"

"And you want to know what Booth thinks of the idea? Gee Bren, …. Maybe you oughtta just ask him."

"There's another thing, Ange….I don't know if I should even bring it up seeing as how they would never give me a child anyway." Tears formed in her eyes and her voice grew thick with emotion. "I don't have anything to offer a child. It was selfish of me to think that I deserved this."

"Is this about the felony thing? Because you weren't officially convicted…."

Swiping frustrated at her tears, she shook her head, "It's more than that. The dangers of my job….My work schedule…." She laughed in disgust, "Look at me! The only daylight I ever see is through the skylights of this lab! What kind of mother would that make me!"

"Bren, you're my best friend, so I'm going to be completely honest with you." Angela looked directly into Tempe's saddened eyes. "You're absolutely right. Dr. Brennan would not be an ideal mother. But Temperance Booth _would_. You can't just assess yourself like a body of evidence and form conclusions, Bren. People change and grow everyday. Being with Booth has changed you more than you realize. And motherhood would only add to that."

After taking a deep breath, Temperance nodded, "Maybe you're right."

"Maybe? Sweetie,….have I _ever _been wrong?"

Brennan gave her friend a genuine smile, conveying just how lucky she felt to have her there to guide her through the murky psychological waters that made up life.


	8. Chapter 8

Hank Latrell wheeled over toward the grill where his friend Seeley Booth stood manning the fire. He popped open a fresh bottle of beer and handed it to him as he continued his story. "So, then this crazy son of a bitch got us all assigned to work in the mess hall as punishment! Hey, I'm a judge, and I'd never be that harsh! I should've kicked your ass, Booth!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you did, Hank," he laughed as he turned the steaks over the fire.

Temperance sat next to Jamie listening to their husbands' colorful retellings of their war stories. She felt completely relaxed on this summer evening as she watched Parker run around the backyard chasing fireflies with the Latrell's young son and daughter.

After dinner on the patio, Hank and Booth headed to the garage to shoot some pool. Tempe stayed out on the patio with Jamie watching over the kids and cleaning up.

Temperance was glad to have made a friend in Jamie because she understood what it was like to be in a relationship with a man forever scarred by war. Slowly, she had learned to be a source of solid support for Booth as he revealed more of his past to her. Jamie had told her the most important thing she could do was to just "be there for him"---words of advice that Angela had once given her.

Also, not unlike Angela, Jamie did not hesitate to barrage Tempe with prying questions. "So, when are you two gonna start on that baby-making?"

She blushed and smiled demurely. "We haven't really talked about it lately."

Jamie took another swig of her beer and responded impatiently, "Why the hell not! You two are great parents. Look at that happy healthy kid out there. Don't you want more?"

Tempe looked at the kids playing happily with the dog in the backyard and shook her head, as in disbelief. "I don't know how you do it. Dogs can be trained in a few weeks. But with kids, mothers have to give up their lives for years."

Jamie smiled, nodding at her friend. "Actually, it's giving up your whole life. You never stop being a mother once you are." She cast her gaze at the little boy with blond curls running in the grass. "And from what I see, you already _are_ a mom."

As if on cue, Parker comes running to Tempe crying after falling down. He crawls into her lap and wraps his little arms around her neck as he nuzzles his face against her chest. She rubs his back and helps him relax until his tears have faded. Over the boy's head, she catches a glimpse of her friend's knowing look.

……………

"Aren't you gonna turn off the lamp, babe?" Seeley shifted his body to face her in bed and shot her a 'come hither' look as he patted the spot next to him.

She turned onto her side, bent her elbow and propped her head up in her hand as she eyed him nervously. "I have a confession to make."

"If this is about you spying on me in the shower this morning, I already know." But his flirtatious smile faded as he recognized the seriousness in her features. "What is it?

"I did something important without consulting you. And I know that marriage is a partnership----we're supposed to share things in order to build trust…"

"I trust you. Bones." His had reached over and rested on her hip. His physical connection encouraged her to continue.

Letting out a deep breath, "I filed applications with adoption agencies in El Salvador a couple of months ago." Worry filled her eyes as she searched his face for a reaction.

He withdrew his hand from its place on her hip and looked down at his fidgeting fingers. "You're right. You should've told me, Temperance." His disappointed gaze shifted to seek an answer in her eyes, "Why didn't you?"

The tears had begun to fall, and she swallowed deeply before answering him, "Because I knew before I even tried that they'd never give me a child. I'm not fit to be anyone's mother!"

"That's not true," he answered with resolute conviction.

"Yes, it is! Every application was denied. The criminal background checks, the dangers of my job, my work hours, everything! Things about myself that I can't deny." A new level of despair filled her tone. "And they're right. Objectively speaking, I don't have what it takes to be a suitable parent."

Booth sat up in bed, frustrated with the resignation in her spirit. He pulled her up into a sitting position before him and placed his hands on her shoulders to emphasize his words.

"They don't know you like I know you. Like Parker knows you." He shakes his head at her, "Don't you see? You already are a parent, Bones----you have been for over a year now. That little boy in there is just as much yours as he is mine. I have no doubts in your abilities whatsoever."

She smiled weakly at her husband, and wiped away her tears. He united their bodies in a solid embrace, communicating his steadfast devotion and lasting support.

In his arms, she spoke, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this sooner. It's just that I've always wanted to adopt. And rationally I knew that it was an impossibility due to the circumstances." She breathed one last deep breath and lowered her voice to a whisper. "And I didn't want you to think any less of me when my application was denied."

He pulled back and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. "I could never think any less of you. You're my wife and I love you. And I know that you would never give any less than 100 in anything you do. The same holds true with being a mother."

Inspired by his confidence in her, a smile forms on her lips. "Thank you, Booth."

"Hey, what are husbands for?"

Her smile grew more playful as her eyes narrowed and surveyed the muscles in his bare chest. "Hmmmm,…as I recall, husbands are very good at…."

Cutting off her words with his mouth on hers, he pulled her body down on top of his. Their kisses were slow and deep, establishing their emotional connection through a heightening of mutual senses. Her fingers toyed with the waistband of his boxers, as his adept hands moved under her camisole to caress her lower back.

Halting their progress, she pulled her face back and rested her crossed arms on his chest. She regarded him with a look filled with passion and devotion.

"I have another confession to make."

"Uh-oh."

"I'm ready to try Plan B."

" 'B' as in baby?" He grinned at her.

"I'm ready."

Before he can answer, she crawls off of him and grabs a book from the drawer at the nightstand. She sits Indian-style next to his reclined body on the bed and flips through the book with a focused look.

"I've been reading this book that details the optimum sexual positions for conceiving." Finding the page she'd been looking for, she smiles and shows him the explicit illustration.

Booth's eyes grow huge in shocked reaction. "Bones!" He grabs the book and tosses it on the floor. "How's about we keep the pie charts and diagrams out of the bedroom, huh?"

"But there's well-documented research…." His finger on her lips silences her, making her glare at him with frustration.

"Ah, Bones,…there are a few things in life that don't require directions. And _this_ is one of them." He reaches behind her and clicks off the lamp. The room filled with darkness, but their future never shone so bright as in that moment.


	9. Chapter 9

"Daddy?" Parker carefully asked from the backseat of the SUV.

"Yeah, Bub?"

"Um,….I gotta use the bathroom."

Letting out a frustrated sigh and shaking his head, Seeley looked at his little boy in the rearview mirror. "Parker, we just stopped 10 minutes ago! Why didn't you go then?"

"I didn't have to."

"Fine. I think I see a gas station up ahead."

Temperance kept quiet during the exchange, always observing the interactions of father and son with interest. When they pulled to a stop in front of the store, she shifted around in the seat and addressed Parker, "Come on sweetheart. I'll take you."

Booth began to open his own door and said, "Let's all go in. We need to pick up a few things anyway. But this is the last stop, okay? We're still an hour away from the park and we need enough daylight to set up camp."

Tempe and Parker nodded their agreement and exited the vehicle.

Minutes later, the pair was walking out of the restroom door into main area of the store and saw a gun pointed in their direction. "Get down on the ground and don't move!" the robber shouted at her.

She instinctively pulled the boy's body under hers and crouched down between the aisles.

"Hurry up! Open the safe!" He fired a shot in the clerk's vicinity to emphasize his impatience. "Hurry up or the lady and the kid back there get it!"

When Temperance heard this, her thoughts immediately turned to Booth. Where was he? Why hadn't the robber mentioned him? He must not have seen him yet.

Then she heard a whisper from the end of the aisle. "Hey!" His voice was hushed. He had withdrawn his weapon and nodded at her, communicating that he was going to take care of things. "Just keep him down, okay?"

As Booth moved away in the direction of the robber, she looked into Parker's worried eyes and gave him the calmest most secure look she could muster. She whispered, "I love you, Parker." And as she covered his ears with her heart and hand, she heard him softly respond, "I love you too, Mom."

_Mom_. She wished that the first time he called her that had been under better circumstances, but she knew he meant it. In that moment he needed a mother. And she was it. Temperance closed her eyes tightly as she waited for the eminent shot to be fired. Without thinking, she began to pray. She begged whomever might be listening to protect this child and the life she had growing inside her.

Booth fired two rounds to the back of his head, causing his body to fall and release the hostage clerk from his grasp.

He immediately ran to his wife and child and touched their faces to assure himself that they were safe. He wrapped Parker up in his arms and shielded his eyes from the sight at the front of the store as he carried him outside to the SUV. Temperance followed him out, walking with her hand held protectively across her abdomen.

An hour later, their statements had been taken by the crime scene investigators and they were allowed to leave. Although the adults were clearly still in shock from the harrowing experience, the child was surprisingly resilient and ready to continue on their camping trip.

After setting up camp and doing a little exploring of the surrounding woods, they cooked dinner over the open fire. The excitement of the day finally caught up with the energetic five-year-old and his father laid him down in the tent.

"Are you okay, Booth?" She moved to sit next to him by the fire.

"It was the easiest shot I ever had to take." His sad gaze fixed on her face, glowing in the light of the flames. "I had to protect my wife and children."

"Wait. You said _children_."

"Yeah. Parker and whoever else might be joining our family." He looked at the way her hand was still resting across her belly. She had been doing that all day.

"How did you know? I just found out this morning. I hadn't had the chance to tell you yet."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you don't need concrete evidence or test results to confirm what's readily apparent."

"So, you expect me to believe that your gut told you I was pregnant?"

"Of course. Well, that and the fact that I'm always right." He smiled sincerely at her in that moment, communicating just how happy he was that they were beginning this journey together.

Temperance returned his smile and reflected on just how much she had changed since knowing Booth. Could she accept things without evidence? Today she had prayed,….something she hadn't done since she was 15 years old. Booth taught her to have faith.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she regarded the man before her. This child inside her would have a wonderful loving father. He was a good man. And she wondered again about her _own_ father. Could she forget what he'd done and just have faith that he _too_ was a good man?

"You're thinking about your dad, aren't you?"

She looked sadly at the burning embers. "Two for two."

Letting a few errant tears fall, she turned to face him. "What you did today…..I've just been thinking about how my father had that man killed……and the only logical explanation is that he must have been responding to the anthropological imperative to protect his mate and offspring."

He nodded as if in agreement. "That may sound like a reasonable conclusion to you, Temperance. But to me? It sounds an awful lot like faith."

As she cried her silent tears, he brought a reassuring hand to the back of her neck and gave a light squeeze. "You don't need proof that your father loves his family. It's just a given."

Booth stood and put out the fire. He took her hand and led her into the tent. The laid on either side of the sleeping boy, with their hands clasped together over him, protecting.

……………

The next day, the three of them woke up early to go fishing in the river. After cooking their fish for an early lunch, they decided to head out on a hike through the surrounding hills. The trails were not at all strenuous, and they followed a leisurely pace as Parker enjoyed his "exploring."

When he found an animal skull near the trail, Tempe bent down over it next to him and told him all about the kind of deer it was, and how the scratches on the bone showed how a mountain lion had eaten the flesh. Booth was a little grossed out by her explanation, but his son was absolutely enthralled.

Taking him by the hand and leading him down the trail, she continued to talk about bones. "You know Parker, I'll bet there are lots of dinosaur bones buried in these hills."

"You mean, like the dinosaur bones at the museum?"

"Yup. I read that scientists found several dinosaur tracks in the riverbed where we went fishing this morning. Tracks are like footprints, like the ones you and I are leaving on this trail. See?"

"Wow!" Parker looked up at the woman holding his hand. His expression was one of awe. He obviously loved and admired her. Just like his dad.

Booth led the way, smiling at the conversation behind him on the trail. _Great. She's gonna turn my kid into a squint before I know it!_ The next part of their talk caused him to slow his pace and listen more attentively.

"Can I call you _Mom_?"

"Yeah. I'd like that."

"Cool! Now I have a _Mom_ and a _Mommy_! Awesome!"

……………

That night, a light rain caused them to retire to the tent soon after dinner. They played several hands of Go Fish and Old Maid. Not surprisingly, Parker won most of the time.

All of a sudden, Booth brought a finger to his lips and grabbed the flashlight. "Shhh! I think I just heard a Tyrannosaurus Rex in the woods! Be really quiet!"

Parker rolled his eyes at his dad, and leant over conspiratorially to Tempe whispering not too quietly, "He doesn't know!"

She laughed a little and whispered back in the same volume, "You'd better tell him."

Parker put a hand on his father's shoulder and broke the bad news. "Mom told me that all the dinosaurs died a really long time ago. And Mom's _really_ smart. She knows _everything_!" He turned to face her with raised eyebrows. "Right, Mom?"

She was beaming at his overuse of the term "Mom." She answered with a smug grin, "That is correct."

Booth looked at her challengingly, "Oh really? Well, I bet I know something _Mom_ doesn't know….."

He leaned over to whisper something in Parker's ear, causing him to giggle.

The boy looked at Tempe. "Do you know who Sponge Bob Squarepants is?"

"Of course. He lives in a pineapple under the sea!"

In response to her husband's surprised expression, she laughed. "What? I've done my googling!"

Booth let out a "Hmmph!" and adopted a teasing tone. "Well, I know something Parker doesn't know….."

"Like a secret? Tell me!" The little boy barely contained his excitement.

He looked over at his wife asking for the "okay." At her nod, he revealed the secret. "Well, Bub,…looks like you're gonna have a new baby brother or sister soon!"

Parker's eyes widened in excitement and his little palm went directly to Tempe's belly. "A baby sister! Yes!"

She looked down at the happy little boy and told him, "Actually Parker, it's too soon to know if the baby's a boy or girl."

He shook his head at her and wore a familiar stubborn expression. "No, it's not. I asked God for a baby sister and that's her." He pointed at her belly.

Tempe marveled at the child's ability to have such pure faith. She had prayed for their safety the day before, although she was still not certain of her beliefs.

As she embarked on this journey toward motherhood, she needed to feel the comfort and security that Booth and Parker felt. They were teaching her to trust that things would be okay. And a small part of her believed that was true.


	10. Chapter 10

Now three months pregnant, Temperance Brennan stood looking at the full-length mirror with a critical eye. She had layered two sweaters and a blazer over her form. When her husband entered the bedroom after shaving, she spoke, "Can you see it?"

"See what?"

"My lump."

"You mean _bump_."

"Well, _can_ you?"

"Not under all those clothes…." His sexy grin made her weak in the knees.

"It's just, …. I'm not ready for everyone to know." She smoothed down her clothes and posed for the mirror from various positions.

He smiled sympathetically at her tendency to over-analyze the situation. "Yeah, well, not to be Captain Obvious, but there's a certain level of inevitability to the cat being let out of the bag on this one, Bones."

"You're right."

"Hang on. What? Could you repeat that? 'Cause I could've sworn I heard you admitting that I'm right." His chest puffed out a little and his confident smile took its rightful place on his lips.

She turned around and smoothed her fingers across his cheek. "I don't think we have time to stroke your ego this morning, Seeley."

He pulled her body flush up against his and narrowed his eyes at her playful ones. "Oh, there's always time for _that_."

Her carefully layered outfit was gone in minutes and they found their way to each other twice before resigning to the fact that duty called. He lay there in bed spent, drawing lazy circles on her abdomen. "Oh, and the bump thing? I think it's cute."

Energized by their morning workout, Tempe rose from the bed and began to dress as Booth watched her with unabashed interest. Decided against disguising her baby bump, she opted for one of her usual form-fitting tops and a burgundy skirt.

She leant over and kissed her tired husband, quickly reigniting his passion. When he didn't want the kiss to end, she pushed him back down onto the bed and smiled deviously at him. "Wouldn't want you to be late for work."

"How 'bout lunch?" He yelled at her retreating form. She waved over her shoulder and headed out the door. She smirked at his invitation. Lunch with Booth hardly ever involved food. And besides, _today she already had lunch plans_.

………………………..

"Thanks for the clothes. That's really generous of you, Rebecca."

"No problem. I doubt I'll be needing them anytime soon. I've got my hands full with this little guy." She watched as Dylan made several fruitless attempts to pull open the kitchen cabinet doors.

Rebecca had obviously baby-proofed her home well to keep her child safe. Lately Temperance had been considering the feasibility of bringing up a baby in Booth's small two-bedroom house.

"What do you think of the idea of us buying a house in this neighborhood?"

Rebecca was more surprised by her own reaction to the question than by the question itself. "I've got no problem with it at all. We are what we are. And I'm fine with it." She paused and smiled at the woman before her. "We're actually friends, aren't we?"

Tempe smiled back at her. "Yeah, I'd say that's a fair assessment."

The blonde woman broke their Hallmark moment when a thought popped into her head. "Oh, there's this great place a couple blocks away, next to the park, that just went up for sale. You and Seeley should check it out."

"How about you and I go look at it this afternoon? I'd like to know your opinion first, since you're familiar with the area."

"Sure, why not?" Tempe helped secure Dylan in the stroller and the two women walked the few minutes it took to get to the beautiful large brick home. It was perfect.

……………………

_Later that evening…._

She opened the door to their home and tossed her bag on the table in the entryway. As she rounded the corner, she found Booth sunk down into the leather couch cushions watching hockey on TV. They exchanged "Hey" greetings as she bent over the back of the couch to kiss him briefly on the lips. His eyes never left the screen. She knew immediately that he was angry with her.

As she pulled open the fridge, looking for something to eat at the late hour, his questioning began. "Where were you this afternoon?"

"You're going to have to be more specific, Booth."

"I swung by the lab to pick you up for lunch. Angela didn't know where you were. And you weren't answering your phone." His tone was accusatory and she resented it immediately.

She closed the refrigerator door with more force than was necessary and replied curtly, "I had a meeting."

"With who?" He bit back.

"Whom." She corrected him.

Getting frustrated with her evasiveness, he rose from the couch and came into the kitchen. He folded his arms across his broad chest and let out a sigh. "Okay,…..a meeting with _whom_?"

"With a friend," she cryptically answered.

Rolling his eyes at her argumentative tactics, he probed, "Do I _know_ this friend?"

She raised her eyebrows and smiled at his worried countenance. "Very well actually."

Deciding not to torture him further, she let it out. "I had lunch with Rebecca."

"You know, I'd prefer it if you didn't bond with my ex behind my back!" His harsh tone was unexpected.

"She's more than just your ex! She's Parker's mother……and yes, she's my friend!"

"Great." He grumbled.

"What's with the attitude?"

"It's complicated."

"I don't see why."

"Yeah, well, you _wouldn't_ see it, _would_ you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it."

"Look, Booth, it's important to establish a good relationship with the people you work with. And the way I see it, Rebecca and I are working together as Parker's parents."

"What about me? Don't I have a say?"

"Of course you do. But I shouldn't have to ask your permission to be friends with her."

His hands went to his hips and his eyes regarded her suspiciously. "There's something you're not telling me. What did you two discuss at lunch today?"

_Damn his gut instincts!_ She shrugged and tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible. "We looked at a house."

"A house?"

"Yes. A house for sale in her neighborhood." She raised her hands in the air as if it were no big deal at all.

"Unbelievable!" He was pacing now, looking down at the floor and shaking his head.

"What?"

"And she was _okay_ with this idea?"

"Absolutely," came her steady response.

He stopped his movement and visibly calmed. He took a deep breath and a look of confusion took over his features. "Really?"

Seeley Booth looked at his brainy beauty of a wife and laughed to himself. She was the most frustrating and exhausting person he had ever met. It irritated him that it was nearly impossible to win an argument with her because she was so damn rational, even in the midst of a heated debate.

Their verbal sparring matches left him with a familiar tension in his neck. And he wanted nothing more than to throw his stubborn wife over his shoulder, and carry her into the bedroom to relieve said tension. _So he did exactly that_.

………………

An hour later, their argument was long forgotten as they lay in bed completely relaxed. His head was resting on her abdomen protectively, and her hand was smoothing out his ruffled hair. A low rumble disturbed their tranquil moment, and Seeley's eyes shot open.

"I think the kid just growled at me!"

"What? I'm hungry!"

He laughed and worked his way up her body with kisses until reaching her pouting mouth. "Okay, okay…..I'll see what I can do about that." She admired his naked form as he got out of bed and walked toward the kitchen. _Angela would love to paint him in the nude,_ she thought.

A few minutes later he returned to the bedroom with a plate of food and a bottle of water, still as comfortable as ever sans clothing.

As she took a bite of her sandwich, she looked sideways at him. "Are you just gonna stare at me while I eat?"

His smile faded and his gaze floated down to the sheets. "I'm sorry for earlier."

She looked hopeful. "So, you'll consider looking at the house then?"

The sincerity of his brown eyes met the expectation in her icy blue ones. "Would it make you happy?"

She nodded her response, still chewing on her last bite of sandwich.

"Then, of course I will. All I want is for you to be happy Temperance." His hand covered her belly and he flashed a toothy grin in her direction. "Well, that and keeping the kid from growling at me!"

She playfully slapped his shoulder and laughed with him. "You can be very irritating! It's no wonder she growled at you!"

"_She_?"

"She."

"Like mother, like daughter."


	11. Chapter 11

Parker wobbled on his bicycle after his dad let go of him for the first time. After a few nervous seconds, he straightened out his path and rode on without assistance. Seeley's face wore a grimace of anxiety as he saw the boy topple over into the grass. He ran over to Parker and helped him up.

"You okay, Bub?"

The boy dusted off his pants and nodded. "Yeah, will you push me again, Daddy?"

After a few more tries, Parker was getting the hang of it, and riding his bike all over the park. Booth sat back on the bench and watched his little boy with pride in his eyes. He'd grown up so fast. He'd missed out on so much of his son's young years due to the strain in his relationship with Rebecca.

He smiled fondly at his wife's insistence that it would be best to move closer to his son, so that their baby could have a relationship with her big brother. _A relationship like she had with Russ_, he thought.

As he watched his son play, he was thankful that they had bought the house in this neighborhood because he didn't miss out on as much of Parker's life anymore. In the past few months, he'd seen his little boy two, sometimes three, times a week. It was the best gift he could have ever gotten-----_a gift that Temperance had given him_.

--------------------------------------------

It was four o'clock on a gorgeous spring afternoon when Tempe pulled her silver Mercedes convertible into the driveway of her two-story brick colonial. As she struggled to ease herself out of the low position in the car, she mentally noted the need for a more logical choice of vehicle.

Now eight months pregnant, she had come to realize the inconveniences her rounded abdomen afforded her. She had been putting in extra hours in the lab on this Saturday in order to catch up on her duties at the Jeffersonian Institute. Tempe had been moving slower at work and was growing increasingly frustrated with her semi-handicapped state.

When he noticed that his boss had difficulty sidling up to the examination table due to her pregnancy, Zach, ever the engineering genius, had surprised her with a raised and modified version of the table the following morning.

She had been putting more hours into training her young protégée lately because she knew he'd be taking over her responsibilities very soon. And she had promised Booth that she'd take ample leave following the birth.

Tempe had felt unsure of how much time she was willing to give up to raise this child, but her husband had reassured her that "_when you're looking at your kid, you don't even feel like you're giving up anything_." And he _was_ always right.

---------------------------------------

From his position on the park bench, Booth saw Temperance slowly pull herself from her car and carefully make her way up the front steps to their house. Minutes later, she emerged from the front door and walked across the street to him. As she took her seat beside him, he knew her smile was in place to veil the exhaustion she really felt.

He took her hand in his and spoke. "You know today is the last Saturday you're working, right?"

"What? Why?"

"Well, next weekend we're flying up to Philly for Easter, remember?"

She nodded, recalling their family obligations.

He continued. "And I think it's time you start cutting back a little on your hours at the lab, babe." He looked into her weary eyes. "I know you're tired, Temperance."

"Maybe. But I still have so much to do before she comes."

"Yeah, well, we have preparations to take care of here at home too, don't forget."

"Can't you handle that stuff? You know more about cribs and outlet covers than I do anyway." Her expression showed that she figured her argument was reasonable.

"It's all part of the experience. The experience we're supposed to be sharing? I'd just appreciate a little more time with you---you know, while we're still _alone_?" He gestured to her stomach.

"What are you talking about, Booth? We have a great sex life!" Tempe looked confused.

"That's not what I'm talking about. It's just that I think you should probably get used to spending more time at home." He braced himself for her wrath. Bringing up anything close to a discussion of housewifery had always resulted in a never-ending diatribe on the archaic notions he clung to as a result of the mainstream media's portrayal of working mothers.

It may have been due to her exhaustion, but this once Temperance stayed quiet on the matter and answered simply, "Duly noted."

His appreciative gaze settled on her serene features as his arm reached around her shoulder. Parker rode up on his bike and showed off his newfound skills for his step-mom. A few seconds in the boy's presence erased all signs of tiredness from her eyes. The child's joy and excitement was infectious. And Tempe thought, _maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to spend more time feeling just like this: Happy._


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm telling you, Booth. I can carry my own bag. It's not that heavy!" Her tone was filled with more frustration than ire.

"Yes, I know that. But you really shouldn't be carrying much of _anything_ right now----I mean, other than the precious cargo you've got stashed in _there_." He jokingly pointed at her belly.

"It's ridiculous. You can't possibly carry all our bags through the terminal!"

"Look, I'll handle this stuff. You're in charge of Parker. Don't let go of his hand."

"You're being unnecessarily condescending. And this overprotective alpha-male spiel is getting old." She shot an insincere smile at him. "Okay, _darling_?"

Then she took off walking at her usual determined pace toward the rental car area of the airport, leaving him to juggle all the luggage he'd insisted on hauling.

Bones was not normally much of a peach to deal with, but "hormonal Bones" was in a completely different league altogether. Her moods lately ran the gamut from energetic clean-freak to frustrated and resentful. And there was crying, _a lot of crying_.

Booth had found himself mentally running through the Serenity Prayer several times daily, it seemed. Strength and wisdom……._and patience._

----------------------------------

The Booth family house was a modest two-story Craftsman bungalow nestled in the heart of one of Philadelphia's historic working-class boroughs. The number of cars in the driveway and lining the street told them that they were likely the last to arrive.

As the three of them made their way down the path toward the front porch, they paused to look at the waving flag, welcoming them with its red, white and blue familiarity. With a sobered and thoughtful expression, Seeley gave a soldier's salute in the flag's direction, as if recalling his family's military legacy with pride. He didn't notice the little boy behind him imitate his father's actions with his own mini-salute.

With his hand still poised to knock, the door swung open before him revealing his overjoyed mother's lively presence. " 'Bout time you made it in! We were beginning to worry!"

Parker ran in and wrapped his arms around his grandma's plump waist. He giggled as she kissed his cheeks several times making loud "smooching" sounds. Then she released the squirming five-year-old and patted him on the back, "Off you go," as he ran off to join his cousins upstairs.

Margaret's eyes then settled on Temperance, and she immediately wrapped her up in a hug. "Oh sweetheart! You're glowing! Isn't she just the most beautiful thing, Seeley?"

The older woman's arms around her made her miss her mother. Tears glistened in Tempe's blue eyes. When Margaret saw a tear escape and roll down her cheek, she wiped it away and smiled, "Aw honey, I bet you've been doing a lot of that lately, huh?"

Her hands went to her hips as she surveyed her grown son before her. "Well, she must be doing something right, because I haven't seen by baby boy looking this happy in a very long time!" Her arms reached out to him. "C'mere Seeley!"

As she hugged him, she whispered in his ear, "You did good."

---------------

They entered the kitchen to find everyone talking animatedly and moving about in a familiar rhythm as dinner was prepared. Margaret sat at the table next to her daughter-in-law, Michelle, who was busy dividing her attention between the salad ingredients on the cutting board and the baby girl in the high chair. The younger blonde woman laughed at the exchange going on before her.

Jared yanked the slip of paper from his younger sister's hand. "Mia! Another speeding ticket?"

The brunette used her own charm smile combined with innocent eyes to calm down her older brother. "What? I was barely over the limit. See?" She pointed to the paper in his hand. "And I promise this is the last time."

"Yeah, yeah. It's always the last time. Suppose you want me to get this one fixed for you too, huh?"

"Ugh! I don't know why you have to make this so difficult every time! What good is it having all these cops in the family if I can't get a few tickets taken care of?"

As Mia turned to storm out of the kitchen, she saw her brother in the doorway standing next to his very-pregnant wife. "Seeley! My _favorite_ brother!" She hugged him and glared at Jared over his shoulder.

"Hey, hey. Simmer down, Mia. That ticket's a local beef. I'm federal. You know the drill." He shot her a look of mock-admonishment.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…." Then she cast her eyes on Temperance. "Look at you! You're _huge_! We haven't seen you since Christmas!" She touched her belly with a look of surprise on her face. "Oh my God!…..Are you guys having twins?"

Booth immediately jumped to his wife's defense. "She's not huge!"

Temperance gave him a knowing look that said _I told you I was fat!_

He looked at his worried wife. "What? You're not huge!" He then gave his sister an annoyed look. "It's completely normal for eight months." After pausing to shrug his shoulders, he continued, "And I had the doctor check-----there's only one in there." A glint of satisfaction sparkled in his eyes. "One perfect little girl."

Seeley gazed lovingly at his wife. His mom was right. She really _was _glowing. And although public displays of affection were not the norm in the Booth home, he couldn't help but bring his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

"Holy mush, Batman!" The moment was interrupted all too soon by the Booths' proclivity for pop culture. This time it was compliments of Mia Booth.

The "mushy" pair parted, each wearing an embarrassed grin. He allowed Mia to whisk Tempe away to sit at the kitchen table for the requisite "girl talk" with the females of the clan.

Jared shook his brother's hand and brought him in for a manly half-hug. As he patted a strong hand on Seeley's back, he said with conviction in his voice, "Good work there, bro."

Booth glanced over at the table and saw Tempe shyly interacting with the baby girl as she listened to Michelle dispense valuable words of advice. He smiled at his brother. Jared seemed to have a good life. "Yeah, you too."

He took a deep breath to shrug off the sentimental air between them. Clapping his palms together and looking around the room, he asked his older brother, "So,…where's Dad?"

"Working on the Mustang."

The two brothers headed to the garage to check in with their old man.

------------------------

_Sunday morning_

Temperance sat in the pew next to Parker, marveling at the classic gothic architecture of St. John's. The church truly was awe-inspiring, even to a non-believer such as herself.

Moments earlier, the rest of the family had risen to receive communion. She watched as Booth moved slowly and reverently through the long line toward the altar.

Parker leaned over and whispered to Tempe, "It's okay. I can't go either. Not 'til I have my first communion."

"What do you think it means to take communion, Parker?"

The little boy looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully and answered, "Grandma says it's like when we eat at her house. We all share. But at church, it's God's house. So, we share communion 'cause we're in God's family."

"Can _anyone_ be in God's family?"

"Yeah. And Grandma said that God is like everyone's dad. When my Daddy can't be with me, God is watching me and taking care of me."

"I love the thought of that, Parker."

It wasn't rational, but it was a nice comforting thought. The religious upbringing of their child wasn't something she and Booth had discussed. His faith in "the man upstairs" had given her husband a sense of security that she never quite understood. His son had the same confident spirit, and she knew that it had a lot to do with their beliefs. And even if Parker's theory amounted to nothing more than wishful thinking, it really had no adverse effects on his psychological development. In fact, quite the opposite was true.

She smiled warmly at the happy little boy seated next to her and she squeezed his hand. He curled into her side and rested his palm on her bulging abdomen.

At that moment, the life inside her made her presence known as she startled them both with a kick. His smile was huge as he realized what the movement had been. "Is that her? My sister?"

Tears of joy sprung in her eyes as she nodded. "Yup. She's ready to come out and play with her big brother."

Booth looked back from his place near the altar and admired the sight of his little family: Temperance, Parker, and their baby girl. He had a lot to be thankful for.

--------------------------------

_Sunday evening_

She sat on the couch in the living room, her feet tucked beneath her comfortably, spooning apple pie a la mode into her mouth. The indulgence of the dessert combined with the soothing sonata lulled her into a state of relaxation.

Booth entered the room and stood watching his mother's aged fingers glide across the keys with an ease of familiarity. She played seemingly with her eyes closed, no sheet music in sight. It was his mom's evening routine to sit at the polished piano and let the day's stress roll of her shoulders with each note she played.

He moved across the room to take a seat next to Temperance on the couch. He brought his hand to cup the side of her face lovingly, and pressed his lips to hers in a tender caress. She tasted sweet, like his mother's apple pie, yet somehow even more like home.

Seeley reached around her and grabbed an antique silver frame from the table behind the couch. The sepia-tinted photo was of a young couple---the man in his military regalia and the woman in a white gown.

"Are those your grandparents?"

He nodded at the photo in his hands. "Seeley and Elizabeth Booth. Married when the war ended."

"You were named after him?"

A smile formed at the memory of his grandfather. "He was a cop with the Philly P.D. for 30 years. When I got out of the FBI Academy, he gave me his World War II belt buckle…..Said it brought him luck,….kept him alive all those years."

"It's how you connect."

"He died a few years back,….but his spirit is still alive." Booth looked wistfully at the photo.

"You've seen his ghost?" Her eyebrows raised at his reference to the spirits of the dead. She believed that once people were gone from this world, they left nothing behind but their bones.

He shook his head in the negative, and looked into her doubt-filled eyes. "Our memories keep them alive….They're never really gone, as long as we keep them with us in our hearts."

She knew he was referring to the loss of her mother. Booth had a house full of relatives. With her mother gone and her father on the lam, Tempe had only a precarious relationship with her brother.

Although it had gotten a little easier in the year that they'd been married, she still felt somewhat awkward at Booth family functions. This Easter weekend had left her finally feeling like she belonged. She and her unborn child belonged with these people who loved them. Temperance had a lot to be thankful for as well. She wasn't about to voice her gratitude to a divine creator anytime soon. So, she looked to the man who was holding her hand, the man who had brought her to this happy place in life…..the man who gave her back the sense of family she had lost so many years ago.

"Thank you."


	13. Chapter 13

Special Agent "in charge" Seeley Booth sat at his desk, unable to concentrate on the growing stack of paperwork before him.

Having been trained as an Army Ranger, he possessed techniques for adapting to constantly changing circumstances. As a sniper he'd been able to suppress his nerves and calmly wait for hours until the conditions were right to take out the target. Lately, however, Booth was as nervous as any other father-to-be, his heart-rate shooting up every time his cell phone chimed. He was beginning to realize how very little in life he actually was "in charge" of.

His gaze kept shifting to the framed photo on his desk---the one he'd taken of Parker as he held him in his arms for the first time. The flood of memories coursed through him. All at once, he remembered the immediate love he felt for his son upon seeing him. He recalled the fear that came with the responsibility of fatherhood. And his heart wrenched at the memory of all the good-byes he'd bade his little boy over the past five years.

He swallowed back the tears as his eyes moved to the other frame on his desk. It was a snapshot he'd taken of Temperance and Parker sitting on the front steps of their house a few weeks ago. She had one arm around the boy's shoulder and her other hand was in its usual place, settled protectively across her pregnant stomach.

Her steady features filled his heart with hope. He would never have to tell his daughter good-bye the way he had with Parker. She would be _his_ everyday and every night. His to cherish. His to protect. This new level of fatherly responsibility both excited and frightened him.

And it distracted the hell out of him. So much that he didn't hear the knock on the door.

Deputy Director Sam Cullen smiled knowingly at his nervous friend. Booth had his head in the clouds all week it seemed. He cleared his throat a little to shake the junior agent from his reverie.

Booth tore his eyes from the picture and looked up at his boss. "Yes sir?"

"Any new information on the Richmond case?"

"I had the remains sent to the Jeffersonian this morning. I'm just waiting on Bones to fax me her preliminary findings."

"Your lady scientist is still working?" Cullen shook his head, smiling at the knowledge of how stubborn she could be. "What? Is she planning to give birth to the little squint in the lab?"

"No arguing with her on this one." Booth smiled and nodded in agreement with his boss' disbelief.

He didn't approve of her working up until the delivery, but it was an argument he'd lost every time. She'd cite countless examples of the trials of women throughout global history. _A woman in China would give birth in a rice paddy and be expected to go right back to work harvesting afterward_.

Temperance insisted that there was no biological reasoning that pregnant women needed as much rest as Booth seemed to think. Her body was preparing her for the months of sleep deprivation ahead that caring for an infant would necessitate.

So, he'd consoled himself with the knowledge that she was safe in the lab and ten minutes from the nearest hospital. And if he used the sirens, he could be at her side in five.

Cullen continued speaking. "So, I haven't been keeping up with the countdown around the office. When's the due date?"

Booth sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "Three days ago."

Seeing that his agent was a nervous wreck, he decided to leave him alone for a while. He neared the desk for moment to place a friendly pat on the agent's shoulder. "Hey Booth. Don't forget what we talked about. The offer still stands."

As the older man made his way out of the office, Booth wondered what his wife would think about him taking the position as Assistant Director under Cullen. He had offered it to him because it would give him a typical 9 to 5 schedule and more time with his family. And after losing his daughter Amy, he knew how precious time with children was.

Also, the job would consist mostly of desk-duty, removing him from the dangers of the field. Not to mention it was one hell of a promotion, and an honor to be selected as the Deputy Director's right-hand man.

He hadn't accepted the position because he needed to discuss it with Temperance first. He knew that they'd miss working together. And he was loathe to admit the jealousy that grew inside of him at the thought of another agent being assigned as her partner.

------------------------------------------

Tempe moved around the examination table speaking into her handheld recorder. "Male. Adolescent. Blunt force trauma to the left parietal…."

She clicked the pause button on the recorder and took a moment to bring a hand to her lower back. "Ugh! My back has been killing me all day!"

Zach clutched the clipboard close to his chest and responded in an even objective tone. "Back aches can signify the onset of stage one of labor. It is one of several key identifiers."

"Yes, that is true. But it can also be caused by the shifting of the ilea to accommodate the baby's movement through the birth canal."

Angela rolled her eyes and laughed at her fellow squints' dissection of the matter. "Wow, you two really have got this whole 'miracle of birth' thing down to a science!"

Tempe furrowed her brows in her typical confused manner. "It's no miracle, Angela. Women have endured labor and birth for millennia. To suggest that my individual experience is anything out of the ordinary is irrational."

Angela sighed, giving up. "My point exactly."

Suddenly Zach's clipboard dropped to the floor. His face went pale as he saw the clear fluid pooling around his boss' feet. "The rupture of the bag of waters is a sign that labor is imminent. Contractions will soon follow, lasting one minute each separated by five minute intervals. The average labor for a first-time birth is 15 hours." He spouted off these facts in his rapid robotic voice.

Angela swung into action, ignoring Zach's ramblings. She ushered her friend to the nearest chair and pulled out her cell phone. While dialing Booth's number, she yelled out, "Hodgins! Clean-up on aisle twelve!"

----------------------------

Several hours later, Seeley was getting his hand squeezed painfully for what felt like the hundredth time. When she let go, he shook his hand in the air as if trying to regain feeling in his digits. "Think you could go a little easier on the hand, babe? I'm gonna need it to hold our baby in a few hours."

"Your carpals are fine." She assuaged him. "If I wanted to break anything, I would've already done it."

"Sure you don't want that pain medication?" He asked her carefully.

Tempe glared at him.

"What's with the stink eye?"

"Booth, women in Africa don't have the luxury of pain medication! Why should I?"

"Oh-kay" came his gentle fearful response.

Just when he could feel his fingers again, she grabbed his hand at the onset of yet another contraction. He grimaced as he recalled the doctor's estimate of ten to fifteen hours.

--------------------------------------

"Ten centimeters. Fully dilated." The doctor moved around the room gathering supplies and setting up for the birth. "In a few minutes, you'll start pushing, Temperance, and we'll all get to meet this little girl."

Booth looked down at his exhausted wife and wiped a few sweat-drenched strands of hair from her forehead. "She's almost here, babe."

Tempe brought her hand up to caress his stubbly cheek. She looked at the circles under his eyes and the lines on his forehead. He really had been more worried about this birth than _she_ had. In that moment, she loved him more than she ever had thought possible. "I love you so much. Thank you." She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him sweetly. "Thank you, Seeley."

Minutes later, after a few strong pushes, their baby girl entered the world crying and red-faced. Full of "piss and vinegar" just like her mom. The nurse wrapped her loosely in a receiving blanket and placed her in Tempe's arms. Her wailing came to a halt as she opened her blue eyes and saw her mother for the first time. "She likes me."

Booth smiled tearfully at the scene before him. He had been worried that his wife wouldn't take as much interest in motherhood as most women. But seeing her holding their daughter allayed his fears----she was absolutely enraptured.

"Of course she likes you. She's my kid, remember?" His eyes met hers in an unspoken promise. They were in this together. Fifty-fifty.

He stroked the baby's soft cheek and gazed into her azure eyes. She grabbed her Daddy's finger in her little fist and latched onto him. He laughed, "Well, she's got her mother's grip. _That's_ for sure."

Then the little girl started kicking off her blanket, wanting to be free. Tempe raised an eyebrow and added, "And she's got _your_ stubbornness."

"Me? _I'm_ the stubborn one?"

"Well, maybe that's a shared trait…."

"Definitely."

Temperance's eyes sought out her husband's. "There _is_ one thing I hope we'll both agree on."

"What's that?"

"A name."

"Well, I know we said we'd decide once we met her. What are you thinking?"

"_Elizabeth Christine_."

"My grandmother, your mother. It's perfect."

"Fifty-fifty, right?"

"All the way."


	14. Chapter 14

Elizabeth Christine Booth was a perfect amalgamation of her parents' complementary natures. She had her mother's curious blue eyes and her father's charming smile and personality. Only three months old, she was able to control the world around her with innocent eyes and powerful vocal chords. Lizzie had brought a sense of tranquility and depth to the lives of Seeley and Temperance.

It was a summer of change in the Booth household. Daddy had a new job as Assistant Director at the F.B.I. and Mommy had a new job as, well, a _mommy_.

And just as with any other new learning experience, Tempe focused all her efforts into being the best at what she did. She read books and research on the Internet on all the latest information and techniques. One who never settled for less than an 'A', Temperance was determined to be successful at motherhood.

She started her day off with a 3-mile run pushing the baby-jogger stroller, then came back home to wind down with some yoga. She would indulge in her latest "health-kick" by shopping at the local Whole Foods a couple of times a week, and would come home to try new recipes. And she intended to puree homemade baby food when the time came. For now, Lizzie was content to be breast-fed and hang in a Mexican _rebozo_ sling across her mother's front.

All the lonely nights Seeley Booth had spent as a soldier in the Gulf gave him time to envision the ideal life he'd have one day when he returned to the States. It was a dream like any other man's: picket fences, pies cooling in the windowsill, a loving wife, and kids playing in the yard. It was _that_ dream that he came home to on these summer evenings. More than once, he'd pinched himself as he pulled into the driveway of his perfect home. After years of pain and darkness, he was finally living in the light. And it felt surreal.

-------------------------

"Luuuuuuucy! I'm hooooooome!"

Tempe smiled at the enthusiastic greeting he insisted on belting out every time he walked through the front door. He could be such a cheese-ball.

He came into the kitchen and saw the three people he loved most in the world. "Hey babe,….baby,……Bub…….Ah, it's good to be home!"

Booth wrapped his arms around his wife's waist from behind surveying the food on the stove that she was stirring. "What's on the menu tonight? Salmon? Tofu? Brussels sprouts?"

Her eyes narrowed at his good-natured teasing of her cooking. "Gazpacho."

"Gaz-pa-_who_?" He laughed. "Aw, come on,….there's _gotta_ be a steak hiding around here somewhere!" He began to lift the lids off the other pans on the stove.

"It's _good_ for you! You can't expect to live a long healthy life eating diner food and red meat everyday."

"Okay, okay,….no need for the nutrition lecture tonight." He directed his smiling eyes at her serious ones. "I'm sure it's great, babe."

He was rewarded with a gentle upturn of her lips and a sweet lingering kiss that made him forget all about his hunger.

-----------------------------

"Daddy, come see!" Parker called him over to the kitchen table.

"Wow! Looks like you're almost done there. Great job, kiddo!" He gave his son a high-five to congratulate him on his building a papier mâché volcano.

"Me and Mom worked on it all afternoon. She said we could make it 'rupt after dinner! It's gonna be awesome!"

Seeley cast an appreciative glance in his wife's direction. She'd been so wonderful with Parker this summer, taking care of him while Rebecca worked each day. Temperance planned field trips and science experiments to keep the little boy engaged in learning activities rather than his usual video games.

Their latest project had been a huge model volcano that promised to make a messy eruption all over the kitchen table. _A small price to pay for the value of scientific inquiry._

-------------------------

Lizzie began vocalizing and gurgling in an effort to get her daddy's attention. She did not like to be ignored, and had learned early on how to stay at the center of activity, involved in the world around her.

"How's Daddy's little punkin'?" He moved to pick her up from the baby swing. "Has she been a good girl today?" She cooed and gave him a slobbery baby-grin in return.

Seeley carried her around the room, easily distributing her weight in his muscular arms. He derived so much joy from making the little auburn-haired girl smile.

Tempe marveled at his mastery of the art of "baby talk." He had a knack for making silly faces and uttering nonsensical gibberish that the infant responded positively to every time.

------------

Their evenings together were precious bits of gold to be treasured. Seeley and Temperance knew that this period of bliss could not last forever. There were still evils in the world that needed to be fought, victims to be brought justice.

They didn't talk about it because it would burst their happiness bubble, but they both knew that she would soon be returning to work and things would necessarily change.

The time off had felt like a vacation for her. It was a time for her to bond with her children and develop her skills as a mother. It was a happy and fulfilling time in her life, yet she could not help but feel restless. Temperance knew that she was needed out there in the world---to allow the dead men to tell their tales and give them back their identities.

Motherhood was a new part of her life that she loved. But her job as a forensic anthropologist brought her a different kind of satisfaction.

She was determined to have it all. And Seeley Booth was her partner in this journey.

Together, _anything_ was possible.


	15. Chapter 15

The five-star hotel suite was lush and elegant, offering every possible amenity, but the nights were lonely. She longed for the familiar smells of baby powder and Old Spice deodorant. There really was no place like home.

Temperance laid in the too-soft bed, her hair still wet from her shower, staring at the phone, willing it to ring. _He said he would call. _

Determined not to allow herself to jump to conclusions and begin worrying, she grabbed her cell and hit the speed dial.

"Why didn't you call?"

"Hey babe."

"Why are you whispering?"

"She just fell asleep." He shifted the baby girl in his arms and shuffled toward the crib to lie her down. "It took me a little longer than expected to get her to bed."

"Oh." Tempe sighed, picturing her sleeping Elizabeth, all warm and cozy in her daddy's arms. It had been so difficult to leave her for the first time. It felt like she was missing a part of herself.

Seeley clicked on the nightlight in the nursery and made his way to the master bedroom, pulling the phone away from his ear momentarily to remove the shirt that Lizzie had spit up on. "So, um,….how did it go?" he asked, knowing full well that his wife's day had been anything but enjoyable.

"I was able ID seven victims at the crash site. I had two more sent to the M.E. for further analysis. I'll probably be here a couple more days." Hearing his tired sigh, she asked, "Can you handle things at home until then?"

"Oh yeah. Of course. We're fine. You just do what you've gotta do, and don't worry about us. I've got everything under control."

-----------------------

The next morning, Booth woke to the sound of his crying daughter. He hadn't slept well with Tempe out of town, and was thoroughly exhausted, causing him to jam his toe as he stumbled toward the nursery. Cursing and hopping on one foot, he made his way to the crib and picked up the red-faced infant.

"Daddy's here. Daddy's here. Don't cry, Punkin'. I gotcha."

Her crying stopped as he took her into his arms, but the way her bottom lip jut out communicated that she was not a happy baby. Booth peeked into her diaper and realized the problem. "Okay little miss stinky pants. I see what's bothering you. Nothing Daddy can't handle, right?"

He laid Lizzie on the changing table and began to assess the situation. Raising his eyebrows and letting out a defeated sigh, he spoke to his daughter as if she understood his words, "It would probably be easier just to give you a bath kiddo. Is that what Mommy would do?"

Elizabeth smiled at her father, her tiny white teeth illuminated in the soft sunlight filtering through the window. Realizing he wasn't going to get a verbal response anytime soon, he continued talking to himself, "Well then, I guess you and I will have to figure this out together."

After bathing her and drying her off, he wrapped her up in a fresh diaper and rubbed baby lotion on her soft skin, watching her facial features relax under his touch. Her blue eyes stared back at him, and a heavy weight settled in his chest making him miss his wife even more.

Hearing the doorbell ring, he picked up Lizzie and shifted her diaper-clad body onto his hip. He answered the door wearing nothing more than a pair of pajama bottoms and a surprised expression.

"Rebecca? What are you doing here?"

"Tempe didn't tell you? I have an early flight this morning, and I'm already running behind schedule. He's gotta be at school in an hour. Here are his bags. I'll be back on Wednesday."

Before he could manage a response, the blonde woman had turned and was headed to her car. Over her shoulder, she shouted back at him, "Don't forget, he has karate class tomorrow at 4:00!"

"Karate?" Booth mumbled to himself. Then he looked down at Parker and uttered a soft "Morning Bub."

"I'm hungry Daddy. Can you make me some pancakes?"

"I don't think we have time for that this morning, Parker."

"But Mom _always_ makes me pancakes." The little boy looked around the house and shot a questioning look at his dad. "Where's Mom?"

_Yeah, …..where are you, Mom? _

---------------

Breakfast that morning came in the form of McDonald's drive-thru hot cakes and hash browns. Parker eagerly lapped up the remnants of sugary syrup with his tongue, and Booth wondered idly at the hell he'd give his teacher with the inevitable hyperactivity.

When they pulled up outside the school, Parker grabbed his backpack and kissed his dad goodbye. As he wiped off the sticky reminder of his son's affection, Seeley wondered aloud, "How the hell am I gonna pick him up after school?……What time is school over?"

He shot a questioning glance at the baby girl in the backseat, as if _she_ had all the answers. Her only response came in the form of blowing bubbles of drool onto her teething ring as she stared at his confused face.

Five minutes later, Booth was unbuckling Elizabeth from her car seat and dropping her off with a neighbor Tempe had asked to baby-sit.

Turning the SUV into the parking garage of the Hoover Building, Booth answered his ringing phone with an irritated tone, "Booth."

"You okay?"

"Fine."

"I forgot to tell you…."

He cut her off. "I got Parker to school. It's all under control, Bones."

"And Elizabeth?"

"Is at the sitter. I told you not to worry. You just focus on getting those ID's done so you can get home soon, okay babe?"

"Yeah," she sighed, wearing a frown. Temperance felt a familiar sense of satisfaction from the work she'd been able to do at the crash site. They had called her in because of her invaluable expertise in these situations, and it felt good to be needed like that.

But her heart told her that her family needed her too. Booth's voice betrayed his confident words. _He needed her there_. Somewhere along the way, she had become equally as invaluable as a wife and mother.

Breaking from her thoughtful pause, she jumped back into her nagging wife role. "Don't forget about your meeting with Cullen and the,….what did you call them again?…._gold_?"

"Shit!" he muttered as he killed the ignition and removed the key. "_Brass_. I have a meeting with the FBI brass in five minutes. Can't believe I forgot."

"Does that mean you _need_ me, Booth?" she teased. "Thought you had everything under control….."

His smile appeared for the first time that morning as he pictured his wife's challenging expression. _God, he missed her…._ "Of course I need you, babe."

Her heart lightened, and for fleeting moments she forgot all about the distance between them. His deep gravelly voice rumbled through the phone, making her tingle with a familiar sensation that only _he_ gave her.

She let out a breathy sigh. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

-----------------------------

By the next evening, Booth had adjusted to the single father routine with surprising ease.

When he'd shown up at Parker's karate class with cute little Lizzie in her car seat, he drew the attention of several of the mothers in the room. They smiled in his direction and spoke to each other conspiratorially. Some even had the audacity to come and fawn over his daughter while eyeing the golden band on his finger with interest.

After leaving the dojo, the three of them headed to his and Parker's favorite burger joint for a decidedly "manly meal." Parker promised not to tell Tempe about the questionable nutritious choices they'd made in her absence. _It was their little secret_.

Once home, they all settled in the living room in front of the TV. Parker played with his baby sister on a blanket laid out on the floor. Booth sat on the couch watching a football game while simultaneously folding a load of laundry.

Temperance opened the front door and set her bags down quietly in the entryway. Following the sound of Parker's laughter, she moved in the direction of the living room.

The domestic scene warmed her heart, as it stood in harsh juxtaposition to the disaster scene she'd left hours ago in Chicago. There sat her amazing husband, folding tiny pink shirts and balling tiny socks together. She had not been able to fathom just how much she'd missed him until seeing him in that moment.

He was _home_ to her.

"I'm home."


	16. Chapter 16

After tucking Parker into bed and rocking Elizabeth to sleep, Temperance ambled through the hallway leading to the master bedroom. As she walked, she moved her hand over the wall, restoring her connection with her home.

Entering the bedroom, she closed the door behind her, eager to restore another connection.

Booth lay across the rumpled wine-colored sheets with his head propped up in his hand. The warm light of the candles in the room made his muscled form all the more tanned and inviting.

She stood at the foot of the bed and began to remove articles of clothing, slowly and deliberately, never taking her eyes off of his. "I missed you," she whispered as her shirt fell to the floor beside her.

His appreciative gaze moved over the familiar curves of her body, eliciting a sensation within her that was usually the result of his touch. The intimacy bridged between them, crossing all distance, allowing his eyes to _touch_ her.

Her legs moved of their own volition, easing her body into his gentle proximity, driven by physical need. Her eyelids fluttered closed at the rush of sensory delights. The feel of his warm skin beneath hers, the brush of silky Egyptian cotton cool against her back,….and the welcome presence of his arousal throbbing between their bodies.

Temperance brought her lips down to his, drinking him in like a woman dying of thirst. She had never _needed_ a man so much in her life. She wasn't truly home until she had all of him,….until they were together as one.

They moved together in a familiar dance, the kisses and caresses part of a well-rehearsed performance, each knowing the ending before it even began. He knew exactly what she needed, and took special care to attend to her desires. She had memorized every inch of his body, just as she studied the bones in her lab.

Using the secret knowledge they possessed as seasoned lovers, Seeley and Temperance never failed to reach the pinnacle of mutual fulfillment. They soared the heights of passion together, as though flying while still grounded in each other's arms.

Thoroughly sated, the two fell into a sweet slumber, comforted by a warm embrace.

-----------------------

A week had passed since her being called in to work the emergency plane crash scene in Chicago. She had been in such a good mood since coming home because she felt like herself again; she was back in her element. This was who she was: a forensic anthropologist with the Jeffersonian Institute who restored people's identities when there was nothing left of them but their bones. _She was "Bones" again_. And it felt good.

------------

"I'm ready to go back, Booth." Tempe spoke to her husband at the dinner table.

"To work?" He reached for a napkin and dabbed at the glob of strained carrots on his daughter's cheek. "Isn't it a little soon?"

"I'm needed at the lab. Zack isn't able to handle everything by himself. And the F.B.I cases are piling up." Her intense blue eyes sought the understanding in his features. "It's what I do, Booth. Those victims deserve to be heard."

He nodded and offered a small smile. "I know, Bones. It's just,…..we need you here too. Things just aren't the same as they were before."

"I know that things will change. I have a child now. And you know that my love for her is absolute." Her hand covered his across the table. "This is something I have to do."

After letting out a sigh of resignation, he answered, "Just lab work though. I don't want you in the field."

"What? Why not?" She pulled her hand away and adopted a defensive posture.

"Because it's not safe! In case you forgot, we have other things to consider these days." His eyes settled on the infant seated in the high chair at his side.

Unwillingly, tears began to cloud her vision as she gazed at her daughter. _The last thing she'd ever do is abandon her child_. "I just miss it all." She responded softly, her voice filled with regret. "The cases, solving puzzles, catching the bad guys…."

"Yeah, well I miss all that stuff too, you know." He brought a finger to lift her chin, willing her eyes to meet his. "But we have to make a few sacrifices. We made a commitment to this family, Temperance."

She relents. "Fine. I'll stay in the lab."

--------------

"Knocking off early again I see?" Angela teased her friend.

Tempe finished packing her shoulder bag and clicked off the light, passing the artist in the doorway. With a tight smile, she responded. "I've gotta pick Lizzie up early tonight."

"The remains from the Tunisian archaeological dig came in this afternoon. You've been waiting months for them to arrive."

"They'll have to wait on me now." Tempe smiled weakly. "Tell Zack I'll start on them first thing tomorrow."

"You know, there was a time when you'd pull an all-nighter in a situation like this. Guess an 8,000 year old man's got nothing on that hunky husband of yours, huh?"

Angela saw the pained look penetrate the cool detached exterior of her friend's face. "What is it, sweetie? Is everything okay with you and Booth?"

"Yeah, of course." Her shoulders slumped and she let the bag drop at her feet. "He just doesn't want me in the field anymore. He thinks it's too dangerous." Tempe swallowed and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "And he's right."

"Sweetie, you know I'm with Booth on this one. I'm glad you're back at the lab full-time. I always worried about you out chasing down criminals."

The anthropologist nodded in understanding. "Ange, I'm glad to be here too. Identifying soldiers and ancient bones is satisfying, but it just feels different from the way it used to." She smiled, frustrated. "I'm not making any sense, am I?"

"Not everything has to make sense."

-----------------------

"She sleeping?"

"Like a lamb." He smiled tiredly at Temperance and collapsed onto his side of the bed.

Seeley laid on his stomach with his head turned to face her. He watched her idly flip through the pages of the latest issue of her favorite anthropology journal. Her usual passion and zeal was no longer evident when she spoke of her work. The fire behind her eyes had dimmed in the three months since she'd been back in the lab. His heart sunk at the realization of what he'd asked her to sacrifice.

"Hey, Bones?"

"Hmmm?"

"I've been thinking. You know, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if you worked on a few cases in the field after all."

She lowered her journal onto her chest and eyed him suspiciously. "Really? What happened to my overprotective husband?"

"Eh,…he remembered his promise to make you happy." He then regarded her sincerely, gently covering her shoulder with his hand. "I know you're not happy stuck in the lab."

The twinkle returned to her blue eyes. "It's all your fault, you know…"

Booth smiled, remembering with fondness the years they'd spent working together. He reached down and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing her knuckles briefly.

"So, I'm okay with it. But I have two conditions." At her nod, he continued, "One, I get to choose the agent assigned to work with you."

"Fine. And the other?"

"That you carry a weapon with you at all times."

Her eyes lit up at the mention of a gun. "Really? What about the felony thing?"

"Have you forgotten, my dear wife, that I carry a little more clout around the Hoover these days?" Donning a smug smile, he finished, "I'm sure I can slide your application across Cullen's desk."

He was so happy to see the smile return to her face. Her gaze bore into him, communicating her gratitude.

"I just want you to be safe, Temperance."

She let her journal slip to the floor beside the bed as she moved to snuggle into his side. She rested an arm across his back and nuzzled his muscular bicep. "I feel safe right now…."

"Does it have anything to do with my 'guns'?"

"Guns? I thought you only kept one in the bedroom." The confusion in her tone caused him to chuckle.

"Right, I forgot. You don't know what that means…."


	17. Chapter 17

The Shops at Georgetown Park had been temporarily transformed into a winter wonderland, the heart of which was Santa's workshop. Booth stood in a long line amidst giant candy canes and teenagers dressed in elf costumes. He laughed at one of the elves' frantic attempts to make a screaming toddler calm down and smile for the picture.

Parker and Elizabeth seemed oblivious to the crowd and the nervous energy. Lizzie sat in her stroller and gnawed happily on a pinwheel teething biscuit, while Parker excitedly reached a new level on his handheld DS video game.

Booth looked down at his two happy healthy kids and reflected on just how lucky he was to be living this moment in life.

His cell phone chimed in his pocket, and he smiled knowing exactly who it was by the personalized ringer: _Hot Blooded_. He'd been waiting on her daily call.

"Hey." His sexy smile traveled across the distance separating them, reaching her in Cuba.

She heard the noise of the crowd in the background, crying babies and a muffled _Ho, Ho, Ho_. Tempe let out a small laugh and asked, "Where _are_ you?"

"I took the kids to the mall on M Street to see Santa."

"Santa?" She bit back her tendency to pick apart the irony of St. Nicholas' image being used to promote commerce. "Are they having fun?"

"Yeah, we did some shopping." His voice dropped down to his sexy baritone. "Got you a few surprises."

All those mile away, and he could still make her blush. "Can't wait to see them….._to see you._"

"So,….how's it going?"

"You know I can't talk about the assignment."

"I meant, how are _you_ doing? Everything okay?"

Of course he was concerned with her being called away the week before Christmas to a politically unstable island in the Caribbean. The hardest part was not being able to call her. All her communications were monitored, and she was permitted one personal call each day. Having her so far away was torture on his protective instincts, so he had been keeping busy with the kids in her absence.

Before long, it was nearing their turn to visit Santa, and they had to cut the phone conversation short. Parker talked for a minute about all the toys he was going to ask for, then he pressed the cell phone to his baby sister's ear. Her blue eyes looked around confused at the sound of her mother's voice. She dropped her cookie and grabbed the phone with her gooey hands, trying to figure out where her mommy was.

Booth grabbed the phone and explained Lizzie's reaction. "I think you freaked her out, babe."

"I'm sorry I'm not there with you."

"Don't worry about it."

"This is her first Christmas. It's an anthropological rite of passage in our society. It's important."

"It's fine. She won't remember if you were here or not."

Her reply was silent, "_Yeah, but I will._"

"Listen, I've gotta get her wiped off and decent for the picture. We're up next."

"Sure. I'll, um, talk to you tomorrow then."

His heart sunk at the thought of not hearing her voice for another day.

"Yeah. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

-------------------------

By four o'clock, the three of them had unloaded the bags from the car, and had come inside the house for two hot chocolates and one bottle of milk. Seven-month-old Lizzie sat on the couch between her big brother and her daddy as they watched cartoons.

When the doorbell rang, Booth grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. "Alright, Bub. Grab your gear. Your mom's here."

Balancing the chubby little girl on his hip, Seeley opened the door, and ushered Rebecca inside, out of the snow.

The blonde woman looked around at the empty house, oddly devoid of Christmas decorations. "So, Tempe's still out of town?"

"Yeah, we're hoping she'll be home for Christmas though."

Rebecca shuffled awkwardly, shoving her hands in the pockets of her coat. "Listen, Seeley. Drew's out of town visiting his daughter in North Carolina. It's just me and the boys tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to come over and have dinner with us."

"Someone's got the holiday spirit, I see." His familiar smile warmed her heart.

"See you at six?"

"Sure. Thanks."

------------------

Parker swung the front door open letting his father and sister into his house. He was so excited to have them there. After removing their coats, Booth and Lizzie were pulled by the little boy into the living room to see the tree he had so proudly helped to decorate.

Taking in the sights and smells of the home gave Seeley an eerie feeling. _This feels weird. I shouldn't be here_.

Later, the five of them settled around the table in a strange model of false domesticity. Lizzie sat in Dylan's old high chair at Booth's side. The two-year-old sat next to Rebecca in a booster seat, and Parker sat between his two parents, completely happy at having them together as friends.

The kid-friendly conversation consisted mostly of toys on Parker's wish list and their plans to fly to Philadelphia in a couple of days to visit his grandparents. Parker explained to his mother that they planned to return to D.C. on Christmas Eve because they didn't want Santa to get confused about where to bring the presents.

After dinner, they all sat in the living room. Booth noticed a framed photo on the mantle above the glowing fireplace. It was a picture of him holding a two-year-old Parker. His appreciative gaze settled on Rebecca, who was seated next to him on the couch, drinking coffee and smiling at her boys. _She keeps a picture of me in her house_.

Parker and Dylan giggled enthusiastically as the train set roared to life. "Look, Daddy! I made it work!"

Rebecca turned to smile at the man next to her, and saw it in his eyes. _He still loved her_. Her smile became a bittersweet one at the realization that she still loved him too. Their eyes locked for a few heady seconds, and tears glistened in hers.

The spell was broken by the beginnings of Lizzie's cry. He set down his mug of coffee and picked her up from the carpet where she'd been sitting by the boys.

"She needs a change. Do you mind?" He gestured to the couch.

She shook her head and shifted over to make room. He laid the baby on top of a changing pad and went to work, pulling supplies out of his carefully packed diaper bag.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to do all this with Parker."

"That was a long time ago. I think we've moved past all that, don't you?"

"Yeah."

The double meaning of his words was not lost on her. Their relationship had changed so much in recent years. In some ways, they'd become closer than before, yet at the same time, they had never been further apart.

They each had separate lives, but they would always share a son.

After changing Lizzie, he buttoned up the bottoms of her red overalls and reached for her fluffy purple coat. Her piercing blue eyes grounded him in reality.

"I think it's time for us to go home."

_Home_. Suddenly, the fog of confusion was lifted. Seeley knew exactly where he belonged.

------------------

Jared met them at the airport, laughing as his brother emerged from the tunnel holding a six-year-old's hand and a baby in a carseat. After helping him retrieve the luggage from the carousel, Jared directed Booth to his waiting SUV just outside the doors.

"So, cops get preferential parking around here?"

"Looks that way." Jared loaded the bags in the trunk as Seeley buckled in the carseat.

Once in the car, Jared asked the obvious question. "Where's Tempe?"

"On a top secret assignment in Cuba."

"Wow." He took his eyes off the road for a second to look at his brother with concern. "So, everything's okay with you two?"

Booth's response was immediate and defensive. "What? Yeah! We're great. She's just….._working_."

The rest of the drive was spent with Uncle Jared filling Parker in on all the activities they had planned for their visit. Michelle was going to let the kids bake and decorate Christmas cookies, then they were all going sledding on the big hill in the park.

Hearing his brother talk about how involved his wife was in the kids' lives caused a heaviness to settle in his chest. He wasn't jealous. He loved Temperance. Her dedication to her work was one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her. But in that moment, the reality of their relationship struck him. She hadn't been around very much lately----for a couple of months. _And he had gotten used to it._

-------------------

After dinner, Booth headed out to the garage to check in with his old man and the latest developments in the perpetual restoration project.

He grabbed a beer from his dad's fridge and popped the cap off. "How long you been working on this one?"

Frank grabbed a wrench from the workbench and returned to his position under the hood. "You want it done right, you gotta put in the time and energy needed. No short cuts."

His father had a way with 'heart-to-hearts'. He could dispense all sorts of words of wisdom, and you'd never see them coming. His true message was always encoded beneath the guise of an entirely mundane conversation.

"A woman's like a car, Seeley…" _Uh-oh,…here it comes._

"Dad, I'm married with two kids. Think it's a _little_ late for the sex talk."

"The car helps get you where you're going. But you've gotta take care of her. You rely on each other." He wiped his hands on a greasy red rag and looked up at his son's skeptical eyes. "Steer gently and she'll take you in the right direction."

"The car analogy? Doesn't apply so much to Temperance. She's more like a supercomputer---those cogs never stop turning."

Frank looked down at the engine and smiled. As he returned to his work loosening nuts, he continued talking. "She's a lot more like your mother than you realize. When you were little, three or four, your mom got that job at the ad agency. And she would work her tail off down there, staying at the office till eight or nine most nights. And when she was here, ideas would come to her in the middle of the night, and she'd run down to the piano and work it out until it was just right."

"I don't remember any of that."

"When your sister was born, we made a deal. No matter what, we'd both be home by six each night for dinner. So, I started closing the shop earlier and your mom cut back a little on her hours." He finished his work and shut the hood. "It's all about compromise and taking care of each other. I'd say we got where we needed to go in this life." He paused to look at his son. "We're proud of how you kids turned out."

"So, mom's the car and you're the driver? I'm pretty sure she'd say it's the other way around, Dad."

"It doesn't matter. The point is that the driver and the car need each other. Otherwise, they'd never get anywhere."

"Fine. But Temperance is one of those temperamental little European sports cars. Fast as hell, handles like it's on rails, but one wrong move and it's kaput."

--------------

The following day, Jared arrived at his parents house wearing his green Eagles jersey.

"Dude, you are not wearing that! It's embarrassing!" Seeley grinned at his brother while completely decked out in Pittsburg Steelers gear.

"You'll be singing a different tune when your precious little Eagles lose. You're goin' down, Bro!"

He shook his head, amused with his younger brother's goofiness. It was good to see him lighten up like that. "You're wearing the boxers too, aren't you?"

"You know it!"

As they headed out to the SUV, Jared yanked off Seeley's hat. "At least take off that stupid hat!"

"No way!"

Margaret watched her two boys from the window as they playfully bickered in the driveway. In over thirty years, it was as though nothing had changed. But the sound of her grandchildren running through the house reminded her that change was a very good thing.

She stayed home with the Lizzie and Jared's little two-year-old Katie while Michelle took the three older kids sledding at the nearby park.

Later that evening, the family gathered around the dinner table, their cheeks pink from the day out in the snow. They swapped stories about football and snowball fights as the fireplace crackled in the background.

Being together like that, as a family, was what the holiday season was all about. Booth wished _she_ could have been there in that moment. She never really understood what Christmas meant, and he would have loved for her to feel the spirit in his family's home that evening.

-----------

Tempe had to change flights three times to get from Havana to Philadelphia. She finally pulled up in front of the Booth house at 5:15 in the morning. It was still dark, and several houses had their Christmas lights on.

The snow made it really feel like Christmas---so different from the tropical celebration going on in Cuba.

She grabbed her bags and stepped out of the rental car. She was surprised to see Booth's dad sitting on porch drinking coffee, obviously part of his morning routine.

"Morning." He greeted her with a charm smile all his own.

"Good morning." She set her bags down on the steps and smiled warmly at the man who looked so familiar to her. As he spoke, she studied the similarities of his bone structure to that of her husband.

"He's been missing you. Good that you came."

"Thanks."

He took another drink of coffee and gazed out at the beginnings of orange forming in the low clouds. "You know, I get up early every morning to watch the sun rise. My ancestors were farmers. Maybe that's why. Or maybe I picked up the habit from my years in the military."

Her eyebrows cinched together pensively and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "More than likely it's the latter. Habitual practice has much more influence on our behaviors than genetics."

_Yup, she's a Porsche._

"It gives me a little time to thank God for another day. Count my blessings. Reflect on what's _really_ important."

"So, you're the one Seeley learned that indirect 'words of wisdom' communication technique from?" Seeing his knowing smile, she returned with one of her own. "Message received."

----------

She entered the home, making her way up the garland-trimmed staircase to the guest bedroom.

Elizabeth was sleeping softly in her playpen next to the bed. Booth and Parker were sprawled out on the bed, looking like they must have been exhausted.

She set her bags down quietly in the dark room and removed her coat and shoes. She carefully shifted the little boy's body to the center of the bed and laid down on her side, draping an arm across his tummy. Temperance was immediately pulled into a tranquil dream state, resulting from the warmth and comfort that her family's physical proximity provided.

---------

"Thought I was gonna have a Blue Christmas without you…."

Her eyes met his upon waking, and for a fleeting moment she believed in the existence of magic. "Good surprise?"

"Very good surprise."

He leaned across his son's head to kiss his wife. After a few seconds, Lizzie started babbling in her playpen, already full of energy after just waking.

He sighed and laid down on his back, staring at the ceiling. "She probably needs a change."

"I'll do it."

"No, I'm sure your arms must be really tired after flying all the way from Cuba last night" He sat up in bed and caressed Tempe's upper arm. "Besides Lizzie and I have a little routine."

She knew it was unintentional, but his words hurt her. They had a routine. _Without her_.

The baby girl pulled herself up into a standing position at the edge of the playpen and waited impatiently for her father to pick her up.

"Ta Ta!"

Tempe's eyes grew huge. "Did she just say 'Da Da'?"

He tried to alter his voice and feign nonchalance. "She's been saying that for a few days now……"

She sat up in bed, careful not to disturb Parker. "Why didn't you tell me on the phone? Isn't this a big deal? She's pretty young to be uttering her first words."

"I figured she was just doing what baby's do, you know experimenting with sounds? You're the scientist, not me. I didn't think it really qualified as her 'first word'."

"Sure it does. You just didn't want me to feel guilty for not being there when she said it."

He gave her an apologetic look. "Maybe you're half-right."

"It makes sense that she'd say the word 'Da Da' because environment plays a huge role in development. And you've been her primary caretaker recently. For several months actually."

"Don't give me this 'primary caretaker' crap, Bones. We're in this together. She knows that we're both here for her."

"Sure."

He picked her up and took a whiff. "Phew! You wanted diaper duty? You got it!" He laughingly passed the baby girl to Tempe.

Once in Temperance's arms, Lizzie turned her body away from her mother and pouted in Booth's direction, tears starting to form in her eyes. The hiccupping cry began, quickly developing into a full-on wail. Her little arms reached out for him, and he instinctually obliged.

He rubbed her back and cuddled her small body into his warm chest. "It's okay, Punkin. It's just Mommy. Ma Ma? ….. Ma Ma?" He tried to coach her.

Her tiny fist balled up his t-shirt and she looked at her mother with fear in her eyes.

It had been a week since she'd seen her daughter, and she'd become very attached to Booth. Tempe rationalized the behavior as the result of her developmental stage in infancy. Children her age seek out comfort and security in those who care for them, and they tend not to trust outsiders.

_How had she let herself become an outsider in her own daughter's life?_

-----------------

On Christmas morning, Parker had come over at ten o'clock, after opening the gifts Santa had left him at his mom's house. He'd spent an hour playing with his new remote control car. Elizabeth happily explored the house in her new walker. It was a noisy and exciting morning.

After Parker had left, and Lizzie fell asleep, Booth began wadding up the wrapping paper that was strewn across the living room.

Temperance returned from the kitchen and began helping him bag up the trash.

"I called Russ."

"How's he doing?"

"Good. He spent Christmas with Karen and the girls." A wistful expression lit her face. "He's doing good."

He knew it had been a while since she'd spoken to Russ. He had called her on Thanksgiving. They hadn't seen each other since the summer.

"Maybe we could drive down there this week and see him."

She finished tying up the bag. "Maybe."

-----------

Temperance pulled the lid off the box and removed the hard metal case inside.

"You got me a _gun_?"

He chuckled at her shocked expression. "Not just any gun. .38 caliber. Custom laser-engraved scrimshaw pistol grips."

"Is that _bone_?"

"You're asking _me_?" He took the gun from her hands. "I had these grips etched with the Chinese symbols for bravery and protection."

"I love it." She took the gun back and ran her delicate fingers over the markings. "I'm weird, huh? Most women wouldn't want a gun for Christmas."

"Just you and Ralphie…"

"Oooh! I know that one! Christmas Story, right?"

"You're a surprising woman, Temperance."

She rewarded him with a smile that lit her eyes. After placing the gun safely back in its case, she handed him a wrapped box.

"Speaking of surprises…."

"It's not human remains, is it?"

"Open it."

The large velvet-lined box revealed an impressive Tag Heuer platinum wristwatch.

He let out a low whistle, knowing it must have cost a pretty penny.

"I love being a 'kept man', Sugar Mama."

"Excuse me?"

"Thank you." He slipped the watch on his arm and gave her a playful smiling kiss. "Man, I love having a rich wife!"

Tempe jabbed his shoulder. "Careful, or I might have to use my new gun."

"That won't be necessary…." Seeley pulled his tempestuous wife close to his side and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. He closed his eyes and reveled in the perfection of the moment. It felt so good to have her in his arms.

Moments later, she covered her hand with his and gazed into his dark eyes. "The watch was only part of the gift. What I really wanted to give you is harder to wrap up in a box."

"Oh really? What's that?"

"_Time_."

He nodded, knowing her meaning. Their fingers intertwined, wedding bands brushing against one another.

"We'll work it out." Remembering his father's words, he continued, "We'll get there."


	18. Chapter 18

"I spy something black and white."

"That's so easy, Daddy! It's a cow!" Parker rolled his eyes at his father who was seated next to him in the driver's seat.

Booth laughed at his seven-year-old son's precocious nature. Parker had matured so much in the past two years, and he knew that it had a lot to do with the fact that he was a big brother now. It was his instinctive duty to teach his little brother Dylan the ropes, and to look out for his baby sister Lizzie.

He took his eyes off the country road momentarily to let his proud gaze linger on his son's face. Tempe had often pointed out his own natural protective instincts, and he smiled as he realized that he was rubbing off on his son. _He's a chip off the ol' block after all._

"Okay, okay…..Your turn, Bub."

"No, it's Mom's turn."

Tempe was startled from her reverie in the backseat. She had been absently listening to their game as she watched the gloomy winter scenery roll by out the window.

She spoke up. "What? My turn for _what_?"

The blonde boy was really feeling frustrated with the adults in the car. He turned around in his seat and looked at his step-mom with disbelief in his eyes.

"You don't know how to play 'I Spy'!"

She raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

He let out a sigh and began his explanation, but was interrupted by his little sister.

"Pull over at the next rest stop."

"Why?" Her husband answered with more sharpness in his voice than he'd intended.

"She spit up all over herself and the carseat."

Sighing in exasperation, he pulled the vehicle off the road at the next exit ramp.

Once the SUV was parked, he exited the driver's door and opened the side door to attend to his baby daughter. Booth moved to release her from the safety straps in her seat, not flinching once at the vomit soiling his hands and jacket.

As he carefully removed Lizzie's dirty clothes, he shot his wife a disapproving look. "You gave her _peas_?"

Temperance looked up from the bag she was digging fresh baby clothes from. "Yes. What's wrong with _that_?"

He turned his attention back to his daughter and mumbled. "She just hasn't had peas in over a month because she spits it up every time."

_Of course you'd have known that if you were around more._

"Sorry." Without meeting his eyes, she gathered Elizabeth into a blanket and walked toward the restroom to clean her up properly.

Booth stayed behind and angrily swiped at the stains on the carseat fabric. _Give her a break. She's trying._

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_Morehead City, North Carolina_

Parker and Lizzie were sleeping as they finally pulled into the sleepy ocean side town. It was a popular vacation spot in the summer season, but the winter gloom had pushed everything into dormancy. All around were remnants of the previous week's Christmas festivities, but there was little sign of life in the streets. The light freezing rain had forced most of the residents indoors.

Booth parked the SUV outside Russ and Karen's beach house and zipped up his coat before braving the cold. He turned toward the backseat to address his wife, but saw that she had already exited the vehicle.

She stood facing the tumultuous sea, letting the freezing wind violently whip her hair across her face. Looking out at the looming gray clouds, Tempe shivered and pulled her coat closed tightly across her chest. _There is so much darkness out there_, she thought. _That's why I never wanted to bring children into this world._

Like a lighthouse beacon, Seeley Booth came into view, his spirit shining with a brilliance unlike any she'd ever seen. His dark eyes searched hers, and his arms reached out for her, pulling her into the harbor of his embrace.

All at once, she felt safe and protected. A distance had been growing between them for months, but he was able to close it with his touch. He cast aside all her doubts about the world, about life, and allowed her to see the possibilities for a normal happy existence despite everything.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Tempe!" Russ hugged his sister as she walked through the door. "I can't believe it's been so long since I've seen you."

She nodded against his shoulder and pulled back to regard him with a teary smile. "I missed you, Russ."

Even though they'd been separated for long periods of time before, their bond was as strong as ever. Russ could see into her heart like no one else had ever been able to. He shared the deep-rooted pain that she carried inside her. Theirs was a connection that required few words.

Before releasing his sister, he whispered in her ear, "_Marco_."

Her response was inaudible to everyone but him, "_Polo._"

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Karen was the strong sturdy type of woman Tempe had always thought would be perfect for her brother. Russ had a past of making mistakes and running away from them. This woman gave him the support and strength he needed to be the man he was meant to be. That's why it came as no surprise when Karen showed her the diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"It's really beautiful." Temperance shifted her gaze from the ring up to the woman's eyes. "Thank you for taking care of my brother."

Karen was a very attractive woman, but it was her genuine care for those around her that brought out her true beauty. She possessed African-American features, and Russ had explained that she was of mixed race. Her daughters' estranged father was Caucasian. The girls, three and five, had no memories of him, since he'd been in prison for over two years.

She had met Russ not long after her former boyfriend's arrest, and they had been together ever since. Russ liked to feel needed, and he easily fell into the fatherly role. Katie and Alex knew him as their "daddy," so it was only natural that he and Karen get engaged.

The dark-haired woman was about to respond to Tempe when Booth swept into the kitchen interrupting their sentimental moment.

"So, what are you ladies up to?" He looked over at the sink full of crawling crabs and jumped back, surprised. "Whoah! You're actually gonna cook those guys alive! Shouldn't you, I dunno, knock 'em out first?"

"Anesthetizing the crustaceans is not typical procedure. People do this all the time, Booth." She grabbed a wriggling crab and tossed it into the seasoned boiling water. "See?"

"Poor little guy…" Booth winced at her clinical detachment.

She used the ladle to bring the crab out of the boiling water momentarily to examine the abdomen. "Actually it's a '_she_'."

Karen laughed at their odd exchange and began to use the tongs to lower more crabs into the boil. Booth moved toward the sink and pulled back his long sleeves. Gesturing to the crabs, he asked Karen, "Do you mind?"

Not sure of his meaning, she shook her head and stepped back from the sink. He grabbed a particularly feisty crab and donned a devious expression.

"Be right back!" He shouted as he ran into the living room.

The squeals and shrieks of the three kids could be heard throughout the house.

Karen and Tempe shared a knowing look as they continued to prepare dinner.

As she pulled the shucks and silks off the cobs of corn, Tempe listened to Karen's colorful retelling of her brother's elaborate Christmas morning proposal. She had tried her best to act surprised even though she'd spied the ring in his coat pocket the week before.

"So, how did Seeley propose?" Karen asked after finishing her story.

Temperance blushed at the memory. "Actually, I asked _him_ to marry _me_."

"Well,….why does that not surprise me!" Karen raised her eyebrows and smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After dinner, Tempe poured herself a second cup of coffee and returned to the living room. She stood in the doorway taking in the scene before her with amazement. The skies were dark and rainy outside, but the life inside the house glowed with warmth and love.

She quietly sipped her mug of coffee, letting the warmth penetrate her chilly hands. Ever the observer, Temperance's eyes moved around the room, analyzing the anthropological significance of the familial interaction.

Parker played Operation with his two cousins, Katie and Alex. She smiled warmly at him as she overheard him explaining to Katie that there really was no such thing as a "funny bone." _That's my boy!_,she thought.

Russ and Booth were in the midst of a typical male bonding scenario, beer bottles in hands, on the couch watching football. They were yelling at the TV screen, obviously in disagreement with the referee's call. "Come on!" Russ shouted.

"Honey, lower your voice!" Karen whispered loudly in her fiancé's direction. She was rocking Lizzie to sleep, humming a gentle lullaby. Tempe envied Karen for being such a natural at motherhood. She couldn't remember the last time Lizzie had relaxed that way in her own arms.

At that moment, her cell phone rang, breaking her peaceful meditation. As she pulled it from her pocket, she glanced down at the caller I.D., then looked up to see her husband and step-son regarding her with disappointment in their eyes. Guilt flooded her being as she walked into the kitchen to answer the call.

"Hey Danny. What's up?" She set her mug down on the table and placed her hand on her hip, transitioning into business-mode.

Minutes later, Booth came into the kitchen for a couple of fresh beers. He caught the tail-end of her phone conversation. _"I'll have to call you back, Danny. Bye."_

"New case?"

She exhaled loudly and nodded. "Yeah,….a child's remains were found."

"So, what are you gonna do?" He tried his best to remain serious and supportive, but he couldn't hide the sadness in his voice.

"I have to go."

He wanted so badly to lay the guilt trip on her, or to yell at her for abandoning her family over and over again. But this was a child. And he knew that if his child were missing, he'd want the best on the case. His wife was the best. That child's family shouldn't have to wait any longer without knowing. _She_ knew the pain of not knowing very well.

"You do what you gotta do, babe." He brought a warm hand to the side of her face and let the sincerity shine in his eyes. "We understand…..Call Danny."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm sorry, Russ. I really wish we could stay." She sat on the porch swing next to her brother, as Booth carried the two sleeping children to the backseat of the heated SUV.

He shook his head in a disapproving manner. "I don't know how you can do this Tempe."

"What?" Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "I explained to you that a case came up. I had no control over this decision."

"Sure you have control! But this is just what you do, isn't it? Just like Mom and Dad!"

"_I am not abandoning my family, Russ_!" Anger seethed in her words.

"That's exactly what you're doing, Tempe!"

"I don't need this!" She stood up, ready to march toward the waiting car.

"You _do_ need to hear this! Booth sure as hell isn't gonna tell you!" He grabbed her shoulder, halting her escape.

"What do you want from me? To quit my job? Forget about my duties?"

He calmed down and looked directly into her stormy blue eyes. "Just try to let the living people in your life know that they're more important than the dead ones."

Russ turned and walked back into the house, closing the doors soundly behind him.

As she got into the passenger seat of the SUV, she stared blankly at the ocean in the distance. "I don't want to talk about it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Booth drove for several hours in silence, often glancing at his two children in the rearview mirror and his sleeping wife in the seat next to him. He thought about how happy Russ and Karen had seemed. They lived in a modest house and had normal jobs. They were really genuinely happy together. He envied them.

When they arrived back in D.C., the sun was beginning to rise, casting an orange glow on the Capitol Building. For the first time, he drove Dupont Circle without the slightest hint of road rage, as his was the only car on the road. The world around them was eerily at peace, in a strange state of post-holiday bliss. Yet, when he looked over Temperance, a familiar tension tightened in his chest, and he wished there was peace between them as well.

She finally awoke as he spoke their orders at the drive-thru Starbuck's. Taking her Venti latte in her hands, she looked at her husband for the first time in hours. "Thank you."

_Thank you for the coffee. Thank you for understanding. Thank you for being nice to me._

It was difficult for her to articulate her emotions, and he knew her meaning. The fact that they didn't need words to express their feelings demonstrated to him just how close they really were. He could read her like she was an open book, albeit a textbook full of indecipherable technical jargon.

"You can drop me at the lab."

"You sure that's what you want?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

_No, I'm not._


	19. Chapter 19

The Royal Diner was buzzing with activity as the lunch crowd hastily moved in and out of the restaurant. The pace at Tempe's table was decidedly laid-back as she sat talking to her FBI partner. They had just wrapped up a big case and were in dire need of sustenance and relaxation.

Special Agent Danny Garcia's muscular build and excellent posture revealed to most people his past as a U.S. Marine. He and Seeley had been roommates at Quantico, and both had risen through the ranks at the Hoover Building over the years. When the time came to select a new partner for his wife, Booth immediately thought of his friend Danny. He entrusted him with her safety.

"So, how long have you been married?" Tempe casually asked her partner as she dipped a fry in ketchup.

"Five,…no _six_ years. Yeah, six. Damn, Marisa would kill me if I forgot!" Danny laughed to himself before continuing. "Got two kids too."

He pulled a photo out of his wallet and handed it to her across the table.

"They share your bone structure."

"Um,…thanks. Josh is five and Jenny's two-and-a-half."

She handed the picture back to him quietly, as if considering something seriously.

Her piercing blue eyes met his jovial brown ones, catching him off-guard. "How do you feel spending so much time away from them?"

"It's hard. There are lots of days when I wish I could stay home and play with them instead of chasing down the scum of society, you know?"

"You don't find your job satisfying? Then why do you do it?" She didn't understand.

"Well, like most people, my wife and I work because we have to. Support our family and all that. If I had a choice, I would gladly spend my days with my wife and kids. But since I don't have that luxury, then I guess I _do_ get a certain level of satisfaction from making the world a better place for them."

"Makes sense."

"Why do you work, Tempe? Everyone knows you could retire now off your book earnings alone. What's in it for you?"

"Same as you I guess. My duty to society." She sighed at her difficulty of expression. "I'm not sure really. It's just what I've always done. I've never _not_ worked."

"Listen, I know you're not trolling for advice, least of all from a guy like me, but can I offer a few words?"

"Sure."

"It may sound cliché, but just listen to your heart on this one."

"I'm not a 'heart person'."

"Then just go with your gut."

"Booth's the gut person."

Danny laughed at how impossibly logical she could be. "Alright. Then make a 'pros and cons' list and weigh the alternatives. Is that reasonable enough?"

She was silent for a minute as she considered his advice. "Now, _that's_ a workable idea."

Tempe left the table and headed out of the restaurant without another word.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dr. Goodman stared at the piece of paper in his hands, then looked across his desk to stare at the woman who had given it to him moments before.

"I can't say that I'm surprised, Temperance."

"Really?"

"Well, of course it's only natural for a mother to want to be more active in the raising of her offspring." His scientific reasoning soothed her nerves.

"Thank you, Dr. Goodman. I'm glad you understand. Dr. Addy is more than capable of assuming my responsibilities in the lab, as he has demonstrated before."

"Of course. I do hope however that you will consider staying on as a consultant to the Jeffersonian. I am sure that Dr. Addy and your team will encounter cases that will require your vast knowledge and expertise from time to time."

"You have my word, sir. Thank you again for your support."

He rose from his desk to see her out of the office. As she moved toward the doorway, he awkwardly placed his hand on her shoulder and offered sincere words, "I'm happy for you, Temperance."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is he busy?"

The bright-eyed blonde receptionist looked up from her Cosmopolitan magazine and smiled at Tempe. "Oh hi, Mrs. Booth!"

She chuckled wryly at the young woman's naiveté. Everyone else in the building referred to her by her doctoral title. Well, everyone except her husband that is. She found it oddly refreshing to be known first and foremost as Seeley Booth's wife, with her rank and position hidden in the shadow.

Tempe pushed open the heavy wooden door and her eyes locked with Booth's. Her breathing was relaxed and her smile was lazy. His curiosity was immediately piqued, as was his desire to be near her.

"What are you doing here?" It had been over two months since her last visit to his office.

She took a seat in the chair opposite his desk and spoke in a teasingly playful tone. "I just came from Cullen's office."

His eyebrows shot up. "Making the rounds then? You know, usually when beautiful young women try to climb the corporate ladder, they start on a lower rung and work their way up."

"Are you flirting with me? That's brazen sexual harassment, you know."

He propped his feet up on his desk and linked his fingers behind his head. "Oh, I think I'm allowed a little leeway in this case," he answered with a cheeky smile.

She rose from her seat and walked around behind his desk, knocking his feet off the desk and grabbing his silk necktie playfully. "Oh really?"

He pulled her body unceremoniously into his lap and answered with a kiss. "Yes, really."

It felt good to be together again in this way. The playful banter and shameless flirting had been lost somewhere along the way, and they missed it.

All the pent-up tension and desire played out in their kisses, each hungering for a restoration of their closeness and a promise of more to come. After a few minutes, her weight in his lap was becoming a burden. He laughed, breaking their kisses. "You know, if you're gonna make a habit of coming by the office, I should really see about getting a couch in here!"

She rested her head on his shoulder and traced the patterns in his tie with her delicate finger. Ignoring his joking tone, she broached a more serious topic. "That's what I came to talk to you about."

"You came here to _talk_? Damn, and I thought you were here to pull a Lewinsky!" He was punished with a yank on his tie, tightening like a noose around his neck. "Okay, okay! Sorry!" he chuckled.

She loosened the knot in his tie and lifted her eyes to meet his. "I quit. That's why I had to see Cullen."

"You're serious? Temperance…." He was at a loss for words. He looked at her with doubt and concern in his features.

"I thought you'd be happier, Booth."

He stuttered, "I-I a-am….It's just that this is a really big decision. I just thought you'd want to talk about it first,….you know, with _me_?"

"You're right, it was a big decision. But it was a remarkably easy one."

"Care to elaborate on the basis of your decision?"

Her gaze shifted back to the stripes in his tie. "I miss my mom. And it hurts knowing that I can't be with her or talk to her when I want to." His hand smoothed over her auburn waves. "And I knew that I never wanted my daughter to feel that way. To miss me."

He kissed her forehead and continued to caress her hair. "You're a good mother. Don't doubt that for a second."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Crystal Coast was speckled with brightly colored umbrellas and hundreds of beach-goers on the sunny June day. The sparkling waters of the Atlantic rolled back and forth against the shore in an easy rhythm.

Karen Brennan sipped a bottle of water and watched from her position in the lounge chair as her husband carried the two little girls out toward the waves. They giggled as the salt water crashed over them, and their little arms clung to him as the ensuing waves approached.

She looked over at her sister-in-law and smiled at the scene. It had only been six months since she had last seen her, but the woman looked years younger. Three graduate degrees and an impressive résumé were completely irrelevant as Temperance struggled to build a decent sandcastle with the help of her toddler daughter, Elizabeth.

After digging half-heartedly with her plastic shovel, Lizzie lost interest as she spied her dad and brother playing in the water. She quickly stood on her chubby little legs and ran toward the ocean. Tempe's eyes grew huge at the realization that her baby girl had once again taken off toward the water.

"Seeley! Grab her!" she yelled at her husband.

He expertly swept the toddler up into his arms, lifting her overhead and blowing raspberries onto her belly. "Daddy's got you! You wild little girl!"

She laughed in delight at her father's attention. Lizzie then pointed at the water and creased her brow in a serious fashion. "Wa-wa!"

Tempe had made to his side by then. "She's getting fast!"

"And bossy!" He chuckled. "She just told me that she wants to play in the water."

"What are you talking about?" Tempe modeled the patented brow crease.

"Watch this." He instructed Lizzie to repeat his word as he gestured to the water. "Water? Water?"

"Wa-wa!" She nodded her head emphatically, pleased at being understood.

He obliged her request and swiftly dunked her little body in the water. She emerged with a smile brightening her face. Seconds later, she was patting his chest demanding a repeat performance.

"See? What did I tell you? Bossy!"

"Nothing wrong with a woman knowing what she wants…." Tempe offered back in a teasing tone as she ran her hand down his sunkissed back.

"Or apparently knowing exactly how to manipulate a man into giving her what she wants, right?" He directed the full effect of his charm smile on his wife, knowing exactly how it weakened her sensibilities.

"She's a quick learner. Wonder where she gets that from?…..Any ideas?"

"You know, if I weren't holding your daughter, you'd have been dunked by now."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you!"

She brought her baby girl into her arms and took her to shallow water to sit amongst the gentle waves as they met the shore.

Later Booth and Parker brought the bucket of sea shells they'd collected to show Tempe. Booth smiled as he watched his wife and son squinting at the striations and markings with interest.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paper lanterns hung over the table as they all dined on the patio that evening. Settled down with burgers and hot dogs, the kids had already begun eating as the adults distributed drinks.

Booth passed a bottle of beer to Russ and asked Karen if she wanted one.

"Um,…no thanks, Seeley." After spending a relaxing day together, suddenly Karen looked uncomfortable, nervous even. She looked to Russ questioningly and he nodded with a smile.

Russ announced to the table, "Karen's pregnant. We're gonna have a baby sometime around Christmas."

Temperance regarded her brother with a look of awe. She thought to herself that he seemed taller for some reason.

Booth clapped a hand on Russ' back. "That's great news! I'll drink to that!"

He opened another bottle of beer and passed it to his wife. "Here's to the newest member of the Brennan clan!"

All three adults stared at Temperance with confusion. She didn't drink to the toast. Russ' eyes filled with concern. "Is everything okay, Tempe?"

Her eyes filled with tears, and she smiled as she swiped at them rolling down her cheeks. "Yeah, Russ. I'm really happy for you both. I really am."

"Then….?"

"Why didn't I drink?" She laughed a little. "It's actually quite funny." She laughed even more.

Booth placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's going on, babe?"

"I'm pregnant too!" She announced to the table.

He paled and sat down as though the wind had been knocked out of him. "Wow…. Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Wow."

This baby was proof of the commitment Seeley and Temperance had made to each other in recent months. They had renewed their promise to put their relationship and their family first.

This tiny life they had created together was like the beam of light shining on their future. It was a sign that everything really was going to be alright.

Together they would get where they needed to go in this life.


	20. Chapter 20

_Special Agent Andy Lister sauntered into her office waving a case file in one hand and holding a cup of coffee in the other. "New case." He always was one for brevity._

_The forensic anthropologist rose from her desk to retrieve a reference book from her shelf._

"_Andy, you can't just expect me to drop everything and run off to dig up bones at a moment's notice!"_

"_Actually that's exactly what I expect. We're partners, remember?" He plopped into her recently vacated office chair and propped his feet up on her desk. _

_Kathy rolled her eyes at his display of masculine dominance. The smug grin he wore reminded her that they were actually much more than partners since becoming involved in recent months. _

_After years of idle banter and flirtatious looks, they had finally given in to their carnal urges and allowed a physical relationship to develop. She had always been staunchly opposed to any type of workplace romance, but Andy Lister had been the man tenacious enough to change her mind._

"_Fine. Where's the body?"_

"_That's more like it…"_

"_Mom?"_

"Mom?" Parker's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She looked away from the laptop and focused her gaze on her eight-year-old son. "Yes, Parker? What is it?"

"Ryan's awake from his nap. Can we go to the museum now?" His brown eyes were filled with anticipation of her response.

"Sure. Go help your sister with her shoes and jacket. I'll get your brother ready."

Parker had been such a big help with the babies. He had inherited his father's natural protective instincts and really was a wonderful older brother.

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The atrium of the Jeffersonian Museum was decorated with colorful skulls and bright-colored South American flags for the _Día de los Muertos_ celebration on the Saturday before Halloween. The exhibit was prepared for families and children, and explained the traditions of "Day of the Dead."

Parker decorated a sugar skull and learned about _ofrendas_ which were offerings to departed loved ones. Tempe did not personally believe in such practices that involved the afterlife, but she valued the opportunity to learn about other cultures' traditions.

Her stepson was at an age in which his curiosity could not be quelled easily. He was full of questions about the world around him. Tempe smiled at his scientific nature and remembered how similar she had been as a child. _Perhaps he was ready for his first microscope after all…._

Elizabeth and Ryan sat in the two-seater stroller eyeing the activities around them in the museum. They clapped to the traditional dancers and the flute music and enjoyed the sensory experience.

After an hour, Tempe brought the kids to the foyer outside the entrance to the lab. There stood Angela, Zack and Hodgins awaiting them with smiles on their faces.

"Sweetie! I'm so glad you came to visit us! It's been so long!" Angela wrapped her friend up in a tight hug. The artist squatted down to baby-level to play with the two in the stroller.

Parker held out his sugar skull to Zack for inspection. "Does it look _real,_ Dr. Zack?"

The scientist carefully turned the white confection around in his hands and was equally as careful with his words. "You did an excellent job decorating it, Parker."

Hodgins chuckled at Zack's awkwardness around kids and moved in to distract the boy. "Got something for you, buddy."

"Wow! What is it? A beetle?" Parker squinted at the insect through the lidded Petrie dish.

"Very good, kid! It's an elephant stag beetle to be exact." The little boy's eyes grew bigger at Jack's description of how the beetle's 'locked horns' as they fought. He was very interested in hearing about how strong they were too.

Tempe took the opportunity to ask Zack about the lab's latest acquisition, a 12,000 year old skull found preserved in a melting glacier in an Alaskan national park.

Surrounded by "geek-speak", Angela focused on the two little ones. She picked up Ryan and balanced his weight on her hip as she held his tiny fingers in her own hand.

"Hey there, little man! You're looking more like your Daddy everyday! Not even nine months old and you've already mastered the smile that brings every woman to her knees, huh?"

After a few minutes, Tempe was grabbing Parker's hand to pull him away from the insect conversation. "Well, we've gotta go. We're meeting Daddy for lunch."

They headed out to the shiny silver Hummer H3 SUV in the museum parking lot. In true super-mom fashion, Tempe loaded the little ones into their carseats and expertly collapsed the stroller. It was remarkable how easily she had adjusted to all the nuances of motherhood---everything from sippy-cups to Elmo was now in her repertoire of mommy-knowledge.

Booth was waiting in the McDonald's parking lot when he saw her pull into the spot next to his. He immediately got out and began helping to unbuckle the kids in the backseat. Taking Parker by the hand and resting his infant son on his hip, he walked around to the driver's side to greet his wife and daughter. He leaned in to give them each a quick kiss. "How are my girls?"

"Daddy!" Lizzie squealed with delight at seeing her father. Her face always brightened in his presence.

As they walked into the restaurant, Parker told his dad all about their day at the museum. "I got to make a skull. You can eat it if you want." Booth grimaced at this bit of information, but the boy continued. "And Dr. Jack gave me an elephant stag beetle for my collection! It's huge!" He moved to pull it out of his jacket pocket. "Wanna see it, Daddy?"

"Maybe later, Bub. Okay?"

As parents of three kids, they had humbled themselves significantly and were now accustomed to dining in establishments that boasted indoor playgrounds and games. Gone were the days of wine lists and linen tablecloths.

Suddenly they were more interested in the latest toys being given in the kids' Happy Meals. Temperance's steep learning curve in terms of pop culture was diminishing quickly, although most of her newly-acquired knowledge was on an eight-year-old's level.

Booth watched her open the plastic bag containing the tiny doll for Lizzie.

"Thank you, Mama," the two-and-a-half-year-old clearly enunciated.

As Lizzie sat in her lap playing with the toy, Tempe's focused eyes studied her daughter's movements. After a minute, the little girl ran off in search of her big brother in the play structure.

Booth held his sleeping son in his arms and gently smiled as he memorized his ever-changing features. He had named him _Ryan Andrew Booth_ after a buddy of his he had lost in the war. The boy wore the name as a talisman, and his father knew that his friend's spirit was protecting him.

Booth looked across at his wife who was picking at the remnants of her salad distractedly.

"This is nice."

"What?" Her intense blue eyes softened upon meeting his relaxed brown ones.

"This. Us. Together. Like this."

"Only _you_ could make fast food a romantic experience." Her eyebrows raised and a smile formed at the corner of her mouth.

"Hey, I'll take what I can get." He brought a French fry to her lips and teasingly offered it to her.

She blushed at his suggestive leer. "You're bad."

"And you love it…." He popped the proffered fry into his own mouth and winked at her.

They cleaned up the food and wrappers and got ready to leave. He had to finish up some paperwork back at the office, and would be heading home later. Normally, he didn't work on Saturdays, but it had been an especially busy week at the Hoover Building. That's why he was really looking forward to the evening he had planned months ago.

"So, everything all set for tonight then?" He asked as he buckled Ryan into the carseat.

"Angela should be over around six. Still not gonna tell me where we're going?"

"Nope. You'll find out soon enough." Booth tossed his keys up and caught them, shooting a playful smile at his wife as she sat behind the steering wheel.

"I hate surprises." She turned the key in the ignition and pouted.

"I know. But I have a feeling you're gonna like this one." He leaned in through the driver's side window and kissed her soundly on the lips. "See you tonight."

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The evening began with dinner at D.C.'s premier Italian restaurant. Seeley had made reservations months in advance and had requested a bottle of her favorite merlot. They were elegantly dressed for the date, he in his slate Armani and her in a strappy low-cut black dress that flared out past her knees. Her exposed skin glowed in the candlelight, and her ruby lips puckered with the wine. It was decidedly romantic.

Second, he had called in a favor with his friend at the shooting range to allow them in after hours. He knew how exhilarated she felt around firearms. It was more of an aphrodisiac for her than oysters could be any day.

The wine consumed in the previous hour had not removed an ounce of her focus, as she consistently hit the mark on the target.

"I must look ridiculous shooting in heels and a dress."

"On the contrary. You look damn sexy!"

He told her that she looked like a femme fatale assassin or a Bond girl: images far removed from her reality as a full-time mom.

For the first time in ages, she felt sexy and strong, like her old self. Booth's appreciative stare brought a rosy color to her complexion and her chest.

They took turns. She'd fire the rounds in her weapon while he looked on. And then she'd watch him flaunt his sniper-precise aim on the targets. It was something that was completely natural to their relationship, watching each other perform, each reveling in the competitive subtleties of their actions.

For the third and final part of their evening, he took her to a hidden-away jazz lounge in the rougher area of town.

Any other woman would have thought the place a seedy dive, but Temperance was immediately transfixed on the trumpeter's soulful performance.

As he gestured to the table where they were to sit, she shook her head and smiled, pulling on his hand and walking backwards onto the dance floor. They moved together to the sensual melodies of the saxophone and the delicate rhythms of the percussion.

They sipped vodka martinis and were carried away by the original Art Deco stylings of the lounge. For a few precious hours, they were in another place and time. All thoughts of diapers and case files were miles away from their minds.

Their bodies molded together on the dance floor, and she brought her lips close to his ear. "This is nice."

"Yeah, it is."

Seeley brought her lips to his in a deep and passion-filled kiss. Her delicate fingers linked together in the close-cropped hair behind his neck, making him tingle with excitement. His grip on her hips became firmer and their kiss intensified.

In that moment, they were just two lovers in a sensual embrace. The details of their lives were completely irrelevant.

For fleeting seconds, the job, the kids, the world was forgotten. Nothing existed but them: Seeley and Temperance Booth. Forever as one. Together.

And it was nice.


	21. Chapter 21

"_I would rather live my life as if there is a God, _

_and die to find out there isn't, _

_Than live my life as if there isn't, _

_and die to find out there is."_

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Sunday mornings were quiet in the house. Booth and Parker went to mass, leaving Tempe with the two little ones at home. It was her usual routine to put Lizzie and Ryan down for an early nap and use the time to work on her novel.

However, lately she felt a strange sense of guilt as her husband and stepson stepped out the front door each Sunday morning. Instead of using her precious quiet time productively, she found herself reading theology texts and books on Christian and Buddhist teachings. Temperance wanted to understand what her husband seemed to 'get' about religion that she was unable to.

When Tempe heard the door slam and Parker's feet run up the stairs, she hastily closed the Bible in her lap and shoved it back in the drawer of his nightstand. On her way out of the bedroom, she peeked in the eight-year-old's bedroom and smiled at the sight of him already changed into jeans and a sweatshirt.

"That was quick!" She began picking up the stray socks and dress pants from around the room.

"Dad and I are gonna play catch with my new football in the backyard!" Parker began searching under the bed and then in the closet. "Do you know where it is, Mom?"

"Try the back porch, Parker."

"Oh yeah! Thanks!" He scurried off excitedly in search of the ball. Booth was thankful that his son had taken an interest in football lately because it was something he could relate to. Tempe knew he felt slightly left out when Parker pursued scientific hobbies such as bug collecting and backyard archaeological digs.

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On her way to the laundry room, she found Booth on the couch checking the Penn State college football scores. Before taking a seat next to him, Temperance added to her collection of hastily removed Sunday clothes, bringing his jacket and tie into the pile in her arms.

"He's waiting for you in the backyard. Seems pretty excited about tossing a ball back and forth."

"It's not about the ball." He kept his eyes on the TV screen as he spoke. "It's a guy thing. You wouldn't understand."

"Of course. I understand it's a male bonding ritual. And he's taken an interest in this sport in an obvious effort to model his behavior after yours. He's seeking your approval." She added the last part with a few pokes to his shoulder.

"Okay, okay,….I'm going! Why can't you just nag like a normal wife?" As he rose from the couch, he dropped a quick kiss on her forehead and smiled before bounding up the stairs to change.

Her scientific gaze followed his form out of the room and she mused at his relaxed state. Going to church calmed her husband and caused his eyes to linger on her and the children for precious extra moments. It could only be described as a spirit of gratitude that seemed to envelop his being each week. She liked the 'after-church' Booth.

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The lavender-scented baby shampoo permeated the air as Seeley and Tempe kneeled next to the tub bathing their two little ones.

Elizabeth gracefully guided her Little Mermaid doll through the bubbles while Ryan experimented with splashing water all over his daddy.

"I think we should go with you to church next week." She casually stated as she rinsed her toddler daughter's auburn hair.

Booth squinted at her in surprise as he swiped at the clump of bubbles on his eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Yeah, is it a problem?" Her eyes still did not meet his as she continued rinsing.

"Hey." He waited for her to look at him. "I'm really happy that you wanna come."

She smiled coyly and averted her gaze once again to her children. "Good."

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The last time she had been in the church was for Ryan's baptism four months previous. The only church services she'd attended with Booth had been for Easter and Christmas with his family in Philadelphia.

During the mass, he made very few attempts to explain things to her because he knew that she preferred to operate in the role of objective observer when it came to new experiences.

Booth held their baby boy in his lap while Temperance kept an eye on the sleeping two-year-old in the pew next to her. Parker sat between the two adults and was on his best behavior. Having completed the rite of passage of his first communion the previous summer, the boy now felt he could participate as fully in the rituals as his father. He therefore modeled his respectful behavior after the man at his side.

Following the service, Booth began socializing with the other regular churchgoers. He moved about the aisles balancing the cherubic 11-month-old on his hip as the elderly women fawned over the infant's sweet smiling demeanor.

As he busied himself talking to the priest at the exit, Tempe gathered a very drowsy Lizzie into her arms and moved in his direction. She was stopped by a nun's hand on her free shoulder.

"Excuse me, dear. I just want to tell you how happy we are to have you here with us this morning. I'm Sister Mary Brendan O'Donnell. I teach anthropology and biology at the university. I must say that your article on the molecular signature of selection underlying human adaptations was most impressive."

"Why, thank you. I must confess I'm a little…."

"Surprised?"

"Well, yes. I myself am a rational empiricist. Religion,….well, I guess I'm not sure how to believe in that which I cannot prove."

The elder woman nodded in understanding.

"Science and religion are not necessarily mutually exclusive. I've always felt that through explaining the world around us, we come to an understanding that there are some things that can never truly be explained."

She rested an aged hand on the toddler's pink cheek and continued. "Science gives me a greater appreciation of the miracle of life and magnificence of our world. It makes my faith stronger."

Tempe met the woman's enigmatic smile and returned. "I will see you next Sunday, Sister Brendan."

"Very good."

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As Booth rocked his son to sleep after his feeding, he reflected on how nice the Sunday had been for his little family. His heart swelled with pride when his wife and children accompanied him to mass.

She had agreed soon after Elizabeth's birth that she would support him in raising their children in the Catholic tradition since she herself adhered to no religious practice. They had baptized both of the children, but up to the present day there had been no further effort on her part to involve herself in this aspect of their parenting.

When he returned to their bedroom, he chuckled at the sight of her bent over his worn copy of the Holy Bible.

"That's some dangerous reading material you got there, Bones. Not everything can be analyzed and explained away how you like it." He plopped down on the bed and reclined next to her.

Her crystal blue eyes remained transfixed on the pages of text for a few more moments before moving upward to meet his relaxed brown ones.

"You know, Albert Einstein said that religion is belief in things our mind cannot grasp directly. And that the most beautiful and deepest experience one can have is a sense of the mysterious."

His brows shot up in surprise. "What are you trying to say? That you're open to the concept of God now?"

She hesitated before responding. "Maybe."

"What changed your mind?"

"You." She closed the book and set it gently on the nightstand.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't quite categorize my '_talents_' as a religious experience. So, other than _that_, what did I do?"

Tempe rolled her eyes briefly before continuing in all seriousness. "It wasn't anything specific. I guess I just realized that because we love each other, we learn from each other. We grow and change. And I've become open and responsive to what you can bring to my life. I respect you enough to change for you."

He shook his head and brought her body close to his in a familiar embrace. "You don't have to change for me. I would rather this religious awakening, or whatever it is, come from _you_, not from _me_."

"But you're a part of me now. You're inside me, and I can no longer tell where you begin and I end." Her fingers linked with his.

"Partners." That's what he always considered them to be. That term described them first and foremost, before friend, lover, and spouse. They truly were partners in this life, relying on each other and sharing everything.

"Yeah." It came out as a whisper, as if everything suddenly made sense.

"Sounds like we're just meant to be together then, doesn't it?"

"Is that in reference to God's divine plan or just plain fate?"

"Call it what you want, Bones. It's meant to be."

Booth covered her lips with his own, their kiss filled with promise and hope for the future.

Temperance was like a gift he would be opening for the rest of his life. She was a deeply complex woman, more challenging than any other he had ever known. But she was his companion in this journey, and they would continue to evolve as individuals and as a couple.

One thing was for certain: _their love would only grow stronger with time._

THE END

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A/N: The last section was inspired by Emily Deschanel's commentary in the video interview on the Fox website. I thought she summed up Booth and Brennan's relationship very well.

I wrote this story as a reflection of what I thought these characters' "happily ever after" could realistically be like. I was not overly concerned with so-called "OOC" issues, but I tried to keep it as real as possible considering their ever-changing situations throughout the story. It was really fun to visualize all the details of their fantasy life. I enjoyed writing this as well as reading all the really kind reviews.

The two recurring themes I see in Brennan on the show are Children and Religion. I felt that those were two areas in which she was unsure of her feelings. And David Boreanaz said that Booth is able to open her up and create the possibility for her to change her mind. That was the inspiration here.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this story. Thank you so much!


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